


Crow's Nest

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Auror Harry Potter, Coffee Shop Employee Draco Malfoy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Fred Weasley Lives, Harry is still learning how to Adult, I mean it's still set in the usual HP universe, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pansy Parkinson is a Good Friend, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Some angst, but he's not happy with it, hints of depression, no beta we die like men, they need their time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 20,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22338925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Harry Potter has developed the unfortunate habit of needing coffee before he can start functioning during the day. His favourite coffee shop just happens to be hiring and the new employee is not who Harry would have expected.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 165
Kudos: 268
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Week 0

Harry Potter has developed the unfortunate habit of needing coffee before he can start functioning during the day. The fault lies mostly with his newly finished Auror training. When he began, he had noticed the high rate his colleagues went through the provided supply. He hadn't thought that after only two weeks, he too would be part of the caffeine addicts.

Now that he isn't out on various training missions every day, he decides to find some better coffee. The first cafe he tries is right across the street of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It's dreadful. Harry does not return there.

The second one is more passable, and for a while, he continues to get his coffee there. But eventually, the cost stops justifying the mediocre coffee.

Third times the charm, right? _Nope_. Let's move on.

Finally, _finally_ , he finds what he is searching for. The coffee shop is tucked neatly in a corner a few streets away from the busy ones near his office. It's called Crow's Nest, and Harry soon finds out why.  
As he enters for the first time, a young woman stands behind the counter and only hesitates for a moment before she greets him with a smile. "Welcome to Crow's Nest! What can I get you today?"

The place is small; Pictures and paintings hang on one of the walls. One wall is painted a warm orange; The other walls sport a creamy white. Different pillows and fabrics cover the furniture. It feels homey.

"One coffee with milk, please." The woman, her name tag reads Carla, nods. "No sugar?" When he shakes his head, she turns around: "Coming right up! You can sit down if you want, I'll bring it to you."  
"Thank you."

He takes a seat at the window and looks out at the street. It's still early, and only a few poor souls are up and out already. With slight amusement, he realises that he's one of them. And so is Carla who is now walking towards his table. "Here you go." She sets the cup down in front of him. "Enjoy!"

The coffee is delicious. Harry returns the next day.  
And the one after that.

This morning Carla isn't alone. "Good morning!" She greets him with her usual smile, though it does seem a bit more honest than the first time. Gesturing to the person next to her, she adds: "This is Crow. They're the owner."

Crow gives him a wave and a toothy smile. "Hi there. Carla told me that she finally has some company in the morning. Had to see it myself."  
Harry wonders if Crow is their actual name or if it is a nickname based on the beak-like nose and the black hair.

It doesn't matter, he figures. Crow seems friendly, and Carla seems comfortable around them, that's always a good sign. Besides, the coffee still tastes fantastic.

He visits the Crow's Nest almost every morning after that. Soon the "What can I get you today?" changes to "The usual?" It's nice, being treated like just another customer. Sometimes Crow is there, but most of the time it's just Harry and Carla. He learns that she is currently finishing her studies and hopes to get a job in the ministry. Harry genuinely wishes for her to get what she wants.

"You know," Carla says one day after setting down his coffee, "I sometimes wonder, what Crow does when they're not here. They never talk about their private life." She thinks for a moment and then adds hurriedly: "Not that they have to, of course! I'm just curious is all. At my last job, my boss always talked about himself. Or his last or next vacation, or how much he hates his wife, and all that. I'm so glad I no longer work there."  
Harry smiles at her. He usually doesn't say much, but it's comfortable like that. Carla likes to fill the silence, and he enjoys to sit back and listen.

"Anyway, have you had time to listen to the bands I recommended?"  
Well, sometimes she does manage to engage him: "One of them, yeah. Ashley Hamel, I think?" Carla nods. "I like her. It's not the kind of music I usually listen to, but you were right. She's pretty good."  
Carla claps her hands together: "That's great! I'm so happy to hear that! You'll like the others, too then. I'm sure of it!"

Eventually, Harry starts visiting the shop in the afternoon as well. That's Crow's shift. There are more people there than the zero, plus Harry, in the morning. Still, the relative obscurity helps in keeping it from being crowded. Crow makes an effort to exchange a few words with every customer, but it's nowhere near Harry's conversations with Carla. He's not mad about it.

One day he catches Crow sighing behind the counter. He knows, it isn't his business, but that has never stopped Harry before. "Everything alright?"  
Crow looks up and immediately smiles again. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Just a bit stressed about finding a new employee."  
"You're hiring?" Harry asks, despite that being obvious now.  
Crow looks at him, confused for a second. "Yeah, hasn't Carla told you? She finally got that job she's been after. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her, but she's a damn good employee, and I wish I didn't have to find someone else."

Harry is stunned. No, Carla hadn't told him, but he understands now, why she had been so fidgety lately.  
Crow either doesn't notice or chooses to ignore Harry's reaction. "Not that I expect it, but you don't happen to be interested in working here?" Harry tries to cover his unexpected laughter with a cough. "No, sorry. Besides, what makes you think I know anything about coffee, considering that I pay you to make it for me daily?"  
Crow just shrugs. "Don't need to know anything, that's what training's for. Just thought, I'd ask."  
"How many of your customers did you ask today already?"  
Crow mumbles something. Harry won't let them off the hook, though: "Sorry, what was that?"  
They cough and then answer sheepishly: "Five or six, maybe?"  
Harry snorts. Of course.

Carla does finally tell him the next morning. He congratulates her honestly. Still, he's going to miss her company in the early mornings before work.  
She pats him on the back. "Don't worry; I'm sure my successor is gonna be just as awesome as me." She pauses. "Well, maybe a little bit less awesome, I'll know for sure, once I meet him."  
"Did Crow already find someone?"  
"Yeah, came in for an interview yesterday evening. Crow's been stressing about that the whole week; Hired him on the spot though. I can't wait to meet him. I mean, I'll be training him for a week, so I'm sure we'll get to know each other pretty fast. And he'll be taking my shift, so you'll meet him soon enough."

Harry doubts he'll get along with the new guy as well as he does with Carla, but he's willing to give him a chance.  
That conviction holds until he returns to the coffee shop the next Monday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ashley Hamel is actually a real wrock musician! Give her a listen if you're interested
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. English isn't my first language, so if you catch any mistakes, please let me know!
> 
> I can't promise any regular writing schedule, but I try to write on this story daily.


	2. Week 1

The coffee shop has, at this point, almost become more of a home, than the small flat Harry had gotten after his breakup with Ginny.  
Okay, stop — wrong time to think about that.

...

Nevermind, too late. Harry and Ginny had moved in together after school. It seemed the most logical at the time. But unlike Hermione and Ron, who are still going strong, they had quickly realised that their relationship wasn't meant to last. It had been forged during war times and couldn't survive the peace, no matter how much Harry tried to throw himself into his Auror training. And isn't that a whole other can of worms?  
Anyway, he is happy for Ginny's success with the Holyhead Harpies, and they still see each other from time to time. It still feels weird to think, let alone say out loud, but Harry is glad they ended their relationship before either felt like there was no way out. And this way, they still can remain, albeit somewhat awkwardly, friends.

If he's honest, Harry has almost forgotten about Carla's new trainee by the time Monday comes around. Of course, he hasn't forgotten, but he still has to take a moment and remind himself before he enters Crow's Nest. 

"Good morning!" Carla calls and immediately waves him over. Harry doesn't see anyone else, though.  
"Morning. I thought your 'awesome successor'," he draws finger quotes in the air, "would be here with you today?"  
She laughs and leans her elbows on the counter. "Aww, can't wait to meet him, can you?" When he shoots her a look, she laughs again. "Don't worry, he's in the back. Needs to get a feel for the stock and all that." That sounds reasonable, but her winking undermines it. "Besides, I knew you would come in at any moment."

"I see, wanted me all to yourself one last time, huh?" This has her giggling again.  
"Don't be so full off yourself! No, I wanted-" Before she can explain, what it is, that she wanted, a thin man with blonde hair enters through the backroom door. "I have a ques- oh."  
Carla doesn't mind. "Yup, your very first customer! Harry, this is-"

"Malfoy?" 

Draco Malfoy looks at him from behind the counter of Harry's favourite coffee shop and raises one perfectly manicured eyebrow.  
"Potter. You should close your mouth if you're not going to order anything."

Carla looks back and forth between them, and something seems to click in her mind. "Oh. Uhm, okay. Right. So, since you two seem to know each other already..." She takes a moment to gather her thoughts: "Draco, Harry is boring, so he always orders the same thing."  
"No surprises there", the git interjects just loud enough for Harry to hear.  
Carla ignores him: "One coffee with milk, no sugar. Let's get this started. Harry, you can sit down." She waves him off, and Harry is secretly grateful for it. 

What the hell is Malfoy doing here? Harry is pretty damn sure that he doesn't have to work in a place like this. The Malfoys have all the money in the world, and he really can't see Lucius Malfoy approving of a job like this for his son. Besides, working in customer service means being friendly or at least polite to people all day. Harry kind of doubts Malfoy can do that for long. If he even manages to start, that is. 

There is some quiet arguing going on behind the counter, and Harry turns just in time to see Carla physically push Malfoy towards him. He's carrying a cup of coffee and looks like he has been tasked to clean up a dragon cage. 

He sets down the cup in front of Harry. "Here."  
Carla loudly clears her throat.  
"Enjoy", Malfoy sounds like he is going to choke on the word, before abruptly turning back to the counter.  
"Uh, thanks", Harry has the presence of mind to say.  
Carla flashes them both a thumbs up.  
Malfoy returns to the counter, and Harry catches her giving him a pat on the back. It doesn't have the effect she probably hoped for.

The coffee does taste slightly different, but it's still good. Harry hears the other two quietly talking in the background but decides against listening in. It's probably just coffee stuff anyway.  
Harry enjoys drinking it (or at least he is addicted to the caffeine) and wants it to taste good. Still, he's not particularly interested in the ins and outs of it. Carla has often tried to get him to try some odd-sounding combinations, but he successfully refused every time. Better safe than sorry, right?  
Carla thinks he's a coward when it comes to coffee (coincidently, so does Ron).

Carla is busy with teaching Malfoy the rest of Harry's stay in the shop, and he doesn't attempt to start a conversation. She wishes him a great day when he pays but is distracted otherwise. Malfoy doesn't acknowledge him again.

This continues Tuesday and Wednesday. Harry enters, is greeted (friendly in Carla's case and begrudgingly polite by Malfoy), gets his order delivered by Malfoy, drinks it, pays and leaves.

And Harry realises that his conversations with Carla are actually a massive part of why he likes the coffee shop as much as he does. It's selfish, he knows, but he kinda wishes things would get back to normal. Of course, that's not going to happen, and he wants Carla to be happy with her new job, he really does, but that little voice still pipes up.  
Since his breakup with Ginny, Harry doesn't have that many people to talk to. Of course, he's always welcome at the Burrow or at Hermione and Ron's place, but it's weird. 

With Carla, it's easy. There is none of the usual baggage. She doesn't know what he's been through in the past few years and she doesn't pry. There are always new topics of no consequence with her. Music, artists, books she has read, her girlfriend, and yes, of course, coffee. Carla is happy to talk, and Harry is happy to listen. It's just so damn easy. And it's gone.  
Friday will be the last day Harry sees her working at the coffee shop. After that, it's only Malfoy and occasionally Crow. Maybe Harry will have to find a new place to get his coffee. It's not like spending every morning before work with Draco Malfoy will improve his days in any way.

Harry still returns to the cafe on Thursday.  
Carla greets him but then pushes Malfoy in front of her. "Time to practice on a real customer! You can do this!" she whisper-shouts behind him.  
Malfoy looks as uncomfortable as Harry feels. 

"Um, morning?" Harry offers as the silence stretches on.  
Malfoy starts to sigh but cuts himself off. Then in a polite voice, that completely throws Harry off, he says: "Good morning, welcome to Crow's Nest. What would you like to order?"  
It feels painfully fake, but Harry plays along. Even if it's just so he doesn't disappoint Carla who looks incredibly invested in this stupid little routine. "One coffee with milk, please. No sugar."  
Malfoy nods. "Of course. One moment, please. You can sit down, and we will bring it to you once it's done."  
As he turns around, Carla whispers to Malfoy: "Good job! See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Malfoy doesn't answer, at least not loud enough for Harry to hear.

Malfoy brings him his cup with a fake smile and an even faker: "Enjoy."

Merlin's beard, that was painful, wasn't it? Maybe Harry is overreacting. He somehow prefers Malfoy openly showing his disdain for him over this fake polite friendliness. It feels wrong in a way he can't describe.  
Carla didn't seem to notice. Maybe it's really just him. But judging by Malfoy's demeanour, he too isn't happy with this. Not that Harry cares about that, of course. Just an observation.

Friday comes around quickly. The first thing Harry notices is Carla sitting in one of the seats instead of standing behind the counter. She isn't wearing her apron, but he spots it in the chair next to her.  
She gives him a little wave and then turns to look at Malfoy behind the counter. Harry goes there, and they repeat the same uncomfortable speel as yesterday. Instead of taking his usual seat though, Carla motions for him to join her.

Harry barely has time to sit down before she starts talking: "I'm just supervising today. I think Draco's ready to start the mornings on his own. Especially considering, that you're the only one that comes this early. Next week, Crow will join him at 8. That's usually when more people come in." Harry isn't sure why she is telling him all that.  
"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you before I leave. I don't know if you remember, on Monday I wanted to tell you something but never got the chance."  
He nods. "I remember. What is it?"

She takes out a piece of paper and slides it over to him. It has a phone number on it. "You mentioned that you have a landline in your place. So... I got one too! That's my number on it. You can call me, and we can meet up sometime." She pauses and actually seems somewhat insecure for a moment. "Of course, only if you want to."

Harry has to take a moment to respond. She does actually want to meet him again. Their talks weren't just a way to pass the time apparently.

He takes the paper. "Okay. I'd like that." He's not quite sure what else to say, but the thing with Carla is, he doesn't need to. She claps her hands and smiles brilliantly at him. "Fantastic. Don't forget it!"

They continue talking until Harry has finished his coffee and has to leave. Before he stands up, Carla leans over the table and whispers to him conspiringly: "When we meet up, you can finally tell me about what happened between you two." She motions towards Malfoy, who immediately narrows his eyes at her. "I couldn't get Draco to talk."  
"I-what? There's nothing-" she cuts him off with a wink: "Of course, have a nice day, Harry!" And pushes him out the door.

He stands outside the coffee shop, not able to process her behaviour for a moment. What exactly does she think 'happened between them'? To what conclusion has she come, that Harry needs to tell her about?  
He supposes he'll have to ask Malfoy on Monday. Just to get to the bottom of this without looking like an idiot. Malfoy already thinks he is one, so there is no real risk there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!
> 
> Again, if you find any mistakes, please let me know.


	3. Week 2 - Monday

There is no Carla on Monday. A small knot forms in Harry's stomach as he makes his way to Crow's Nest. In the past months, Carla was always the first person he spoke to each week. Now it would be Draco Malfoy.

He's never felt _nervous_ when going here, but today it's different. His hand twitches towards his wand, and he has to consciously stop himself. He's acting unreasonably. Nothing in his routine has genuinely changed. He's still going to sit inside and drink his coffee before he has to go to work. It's still the same. Except... it's not. Not really at least.

Shaking his head, he finally enters the coffee shop. He really has to get it together. He's a grown man at this point (even when he doesn't feel like it) and getting a coffee should not give him this much trouble.

Malfoy looks up from whatever he was doing behind the counter. He seems genuinely surprised before schooling his expression back into the polite smile he wore last week.  
"Good morning, welcome to Crow's Nest. What would you like to order?"

It's the exact damn phrase again. Harry can't bring himself to play along this time. There is no Carla around to disappoint. And he is decidedly uncomfortable with acting as if Malfoy has never seen him before. (His therapist would have a field day with analysing what's currently going through his head. That reminds him, he should probably call her sometime.)

So, time to speak his mind: "Can you... can we not do this?" Wow, so eloquent. Very astute. Incredible.  
Malfoy looks at him blankly. "Pardon?"

"This... this whole act. Can we stop pretending I'm just another customer?" Ouch, that came out wrong. He inwardly cringes as Malfoy narrows his eyes at him.

"What, you want special treatment? Think you're so much better than anyone else, want me to bow when you come in?"  
Bloody hell, this is going just swimmingly.

Harry throws his hands up in frustration, and despite being behind the counter, Malfoy takes a step back. Harry barely notices. "No! I just don't want this fake politeness. You don't like me, you don't have to pretend you do!"

Malfoy is not convinced. At all. "So what? I stop being polite and tomorrow you get me fired? No, thank you."  
There is a pang in his chest he can't place. Does Malfoy really think he would do that?

"That's not... I wouldn't!" He has to try again: "Listen, I just thought that we both might be uncomfortable with this whole act. If you want to continue, fine. I'll play along. But if it bothers you, stop; I can buy my coffee without it. I won't talk to Crow or whatever you think I might do."  
When Malfoy doesn't answer, he sighs. "You know what, forget I brought it up. One coffee with milk, no sugar, please."

Harry doesn't wait for a response. He turns around and finds his seat.  
Once there, he puts his head in his hands. It's too bloody early for this. He should have just kept his mouth shut.  
Like he does at work. He's fresh out of training, he's not getting any of the more significant cases. They try to keep him busy, but he's bored. The bloody _training_ was more dangerous than what he does now. Mostly paperwork. But he doesn't complain. No matter how much he wants to throw everything out the window. And now he butchered his attempt at making at least his mornings tolerable.

Wordlessly, Malfoy puts his cup down in front of him; Harry barely looks up.

He really should call his therapist. Maybe she can give him a script on how to handle this. She had done that on one or two occasions before. Usually, she encourages him to come up with a solution himself, though.  
He has the feeling she'll do that in this case, too. Bugger.

He takes a sip from his coffee. Still good.

Maybe he should go and find a new place to get his coffee. He's pretty sure he had contemplated that before. Why _did_ he return here today anyway?  
Oh. Oh right, he wanted to know what Carla had meant last Friday. Well, there is no way he's going to ask anything else of Malfoy today. Or ever, that is.

He'll know once Carla asks him, right? No need to return and meet Malfoy again.  
But then, won't she be disappointed? Probably. How comes her opinion matters that much to him at all? He barely knows her, anyway.

Well, of course, he knows what music she likes and what books. And he knows that her girlfriend's name is Nisha. And that she went to school in India before moving back to England with her mother. And...  
Okay, maybe he does know her pretty well at this point. She possibly could even be considered his friend. He's not sure. He hasn't made any new friends since he stopped attending Hogwarts.

So, he can't stop coming here and disappoint Carla. Malfoy will just have to live with that. As will Harry.  
Maybe he should tell Ron. But considering that Malfoy is involved, that doesn't seem like such a good idea. The twins would probably think this whole situation is hilarious, though.

Okay. Decision made. Harry is going to return tomorrow and pretend nothing has happened. Very mature, he knows.

He empties his coffee and goes to pay. Malfoy doesn't look at him, as he mechanically tells Harry the amount he owes.

Harry can do this. Once he's home, he'll try to call Carla and see when they can meet up. If he waits too long, he might forget or get anxious about it. Harry really doesn't want either to happen.  
And tomorrow he will get his coffee and go to work, just like today. Just like every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a shorter chapter this time, I know, but at least it's here already?
> 
> Also, yes, Fred is alive, no, I'm not open for discussion on this.


	4. Week 2 - Tuesday

Neither Carla nor her girlfriend picks up when he calls the number Carla gave him. They might be out on a date or something. Harry will have to try again tomorrow.

With a sigh, he puts the phone down. What now? His stomach answers the question with a growl. Right, food. Probably a good idea.  
His fridge offers him three eggs and some ham he isn't sure how long ago he bought. Still looks and smells alright, though. Scrambling the eggs and cutting the meat takes his mind of his day for a bit, but waiting for his dinner to cook brings him right back.

Merlin, what a disaster. He had gotten some new paperwork today. _Again_. Reading other peoples mission reports makes him want to crawl out of his own head. There is this itchiness he gets. It's not a physical feeling. More like his mind is telling him, that this is wrong. He shouldn't just read this; He should be out there and help.

And then, of course, there's the fiasco with Malfoy. He would never have thought, that he'd spend time with the guy again, let alone commit himself to see him every bloody day. Seriously. What has his life become?

His food is ready. It's not good, but he eats it anyway. It's not like he has a choice. His life isn't _good_ , but so what? He can't just up and quit, can he? No. Not an option. Never was. Besides, he shouldn't even have a reason to complain. He got into his dream career. He completed the training. Just a bit longer and he'll be able to go out and help people again.  
Just... Just a little bit longer.

Harry doesn't sleep easy. Never has and at this point, he has given up hope that he ever will. It doesn't affect him too much, even if he goes the occasional night without sleep. Harry likes to consider this one of his strong points. Hermione doesn't agree, and neither does his therapist for some reason.

Still, when Harry gets up on this Tuesday, his head hurts. Not the alarming kind of pain, just a dull throbbing. Fantastic. This is what he needs right now. Another thing that makes his day just a little bit worse.  
A glass of water helps somewhat, but the headache is still noticeable. He'll just have to live with it. He makes himself some bread with the leftover scrambled eggs and then gets ready for the day.

The walk to Crow's Nest is completely automatic at this point. On the one hand, that's helpful. On the other, it gives him time to think. Lately, he is always _thinking_. It's not even the productive kind. Just disconnected snippets, flying through his head. His desk at work, filled with paperwork; the empty fridge at his flat; his failed attempt of a conversation with Malfoy yesterday; having to call Carla.  
The headache is getting worse again. Hopefully, the coffee will help.

Malfoy's smile feels even faker today. "Morning, what would you like to order?" Well, at least he's shortened his speel.  
Harry's answer is mechanical: "One coffee with milk, no sugar, please."  
He sits down and waits. He's looking out the window, but he doesn't see anything, not really. The sun should be coming up right now, but the clouds block the light. It's a dark, muddy grey outside. That's what his head feels like, too. Something tugs at his mind. He reaches for it but can't quite catch it.

Malfoy brings his coffee. "Thanks", says Harry and goes right back to staring out the window.  
He hasn't seen Ron or Hermione in a while.  
He's been occupied with work and went right back to his flat every day. On the weekends he has to buy groceries or simply stays home. He...

Oh.  
"Fuck", he says, louder than intended.

He has been isolating himself, hasn't he? Only relying on Carla for social interactions and refusing to meet anyone else. No wonder she's always on his mind.

Malfoy is looking at him. Harry waves him off. "Sorry."

That actually explains a lot. He hasn't been coping well with work, and of course, his first reaction was being alone. Which made everything worse.  
So, after work, he is going to visit Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. See if Ron's there today and if not he can talk with the twins for a bit. He'll meet up with Ron and Hermione sometime soon, and it's going to help improve his mood.

Ha! And he didn't even need his therapist to lay it out for him this time.

Harry follows through. The twins' shop is as bright as ever when he enters. There are a lot of people inside, probably coming from school or work, just like him. Still, it doesn't take long for him to be spotted.  
"Harry! Over here!" Fred calls from behind a display that is almost as tall as him. He's waving Harry over with his free hand, while the other is sunk elbow deep in some kind of dark blue slime.

Just as Harry reaches him, he pulls his hand out triumphantly. In it sits an unhappily squeaking blue mouse. The child next to Fred, maybe eight years old, claps his hands and reaches for the animal. "Marley!"  
Fred hands the poor thing over, and the kid grasps it tightly.  
"Bad mouse! You can't just jump around like that. See? Now you're blue."

Harry and Fred share a look, as the kid and his mouse wander of. Fred shrugs and grins at him. "Well, now we know, that this" he gestures towards the slime "can dye fur. And quite a striking colour!" He laughs, and Harry joins him.  
"What is it's intended purpose then?", he asks as Fred cleans the slime off himself. If he's not mistaken, the hairs on his arm have also started to turn blue.  
"Oh, nothing really. It's based on one of those muggle trends. The kids love it for some reason. We just made sure it doesn't get dirty and stuff. Didn't account for suicidal mice, though. Anyway," Fred claps him on the shoulder, "it's been a while. What brings you here? Interested in anything specific?"  
Harry shakes his head, still grinning. "No, just thought I'd pop in. As you said, it's been a while."  
"Ah, well, you're always welcome here! Want me to show you what's new?"  
"Sure."

Harry has more fun that afternoon and evening than he had in the past month after work. Ron isn't there, but that doesn't stop the twins from insisting he stay for dinner and telling him all about their new inventions; Especially those that aren't yet suitable for the public.

It's great and strengthens his realisation from this morning. He vows to himself that he'll take more care in keeping up with his friends. He'll likely slip up sometime in the future, but as long as he realises it early enough, he should be fine. His head already feels a lot clearer when he returns to his flat, and despite the darkness outside, everything is less grey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got Harry out of his funk a bit!
> 
> Last chapter this week.  
> I'll be visiting my (father's, officially) goddaughter and her family on the weekend, so no writing then.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this and I'll be back next week. Have a nice weekend!


	5. Week 2 - Wednesday

Not even Malfoy will bring Harry down today. It's less of a factual statement and more a decision Harry has made yesterday right before going to sleep. It still stands, though.

He had sent an owl out to Ron and Hermione when he got home. The reply came in just after he had gotten up. It contained, in Hermione's neat handwriting, a date when all three of them could meet up. She already knew his usual work schedule, but he had sent it again regardless. Considering that she's a lot busier than him, and could coordinate with Ron, he had let her pick the time. It's more convenient that way. They'll meet up Friday afternoon.

Harry's fairly optimistic that he'll be able to get through the rest of the week without too much trouble. He knows what to expect, and he's determined not to let his usual routine drag him down. Besides, it's already Wednesday. It'll be fine.

"-walk free?! You're nothing but scum!"  
A man is yelling at Malfoy when Harry enters Crow's Nest.  
More colourfull insults are thrown at him, but Malfoy just stands there with a neutral face. He's holding on one of those to-go-cups, and his eyes flicker over to Harry but otherwise doesn't acknowledge him. He puts the cup down on the counter.  
"Your coffee, sir." His voice sounds pressed. He's clearly not unfaced by this interaction despite doing his best to appear like it. Harry wants to intervene; He doubts Malfoy would appreciate it.

The man grows even louder. "I don't want your bloody coffee. You're probably trying to poison me, you- you..." There's so much hatred in his voice, but at least he appears to be out of insults.  
"Death Eater! Murderer! " Nevermind.

Harry catches the motion automatically. The man pulls his wand out. He's disarmed before he can even begin to use it.  
Harry blinks at his own wand, still aimed at the man. He lowers it slowly, as the man stares at him in wordless rage.

"Get out." Harry barely recognises his own voice. It proves effective, though.  
The man carefully picks up his wand and turns to leave. In the last moment, he hesitates. He grabs the coffee, still standing on the counter, and the next thing Harry sees is brown. The man bolts out the door, it slams shut and then there is silence.

"Right," Harry says after a moment. He starts noticing the heat of the coffee on his skin and attempts to get rid of it with a cleaning charm. It's less effective than he had hoped (he probably should practice this more). There are stains on his clothes, and he still has to clean his glasses manually.

Malfoy is looking at him. "I didn't need your help," he says, finally.  
Harry shrugs. "Didn't mean to, honestly, but all the training has to be useful for something. Even if it's disarming people in coffee shops."  
Malfoy scoffs: "Clearly, not very useful against getting coffee cups thrown at you."  
Harry shrugs again. "Yeah, that wasn't included for some reason."  
And Malfoy smiles at that. It's barely visible and short-lived, but Harry definitely saw it. He likes it better than the forced smiles he got before.

"Anyway," Malfoy then says, "if you still want coffee, you can sit down."  
"What, don't even need me to order it?" Harry jabs, despite already being on the way to his seat.  
Malfoy rolls his eyes at him. "You can try that, once you manage to come up with something more creative."

Is it weird that Harry likes this morning a lot more than the previous few? Despite getting coffee thrown at his face, it feels better somehow.  
It doesn't take long for Malfoy to bring his cup.

Harry takes a chance. "I wanted to ask you something."  
Immediately Malfoy grows stiff, but he waits.  
"Carla mentioned that I should tell her something about us. I didn't get that but she apparently already asked you. So, what did she mean?"  
Malfoy stares at him before he puts on that look, Harry knows all too well. The one that says _"You're the stupidest person I know."_ Great.

"Are you serious?" Malfoy asks, incredulous.  
Harry huffs. He's already annoyed at Malfoy again. "I wouldn't ask if I wasn't bloody serious. Are you gonna tell me or not?"  
And the git smirks down at him. "No. You can figure that one out yourself." Great. Bloody _fantastic_.  
"Thanks" Harry mutters dryly.  
Malfoy has the audacity to sound amused: "Your welcome."

He returns to the counter, and Harry is left to stare at his coffee.  
That was helpful. Now he knows never to ask Malfoy a question he'd like an answer to again.

Maybe he can ask Hermione on Friday. Though then he would need to explain the whole situation he's currently in. Harry's not sure he likes that idea. On the other hand, why hold back? Ron and Hermione are his best friends. He doesn't need to hide this from them. Especially considering that it's nothing bad, just a bit weird. He still has two whole days to figure it out. He'll be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, I know.  
> But please appreciate that the whole time writing this chapter, I had a cat trying to sit on the keyboard or sleeping on my arm.  
> She also used her claws every time I typed...


	6. Week 2 - Thursday & Friday

When Harry enters the coffee shop on Thursday, Malfoy waves him off: "I know what you want. Sit down." Harry is weirdly glad that Malfoy has finally stopped the polite act. It feels less oppressive somehow.

He finds himself watching Malfoy make the coffee today. Before, Harry would look everywhere else, preferably out the window.  
It's oddly fascinating to see Malfoy work. Harry could have never imagined him in a job like this.

Not that he really had thought about Malfoy after his last year at Hogwarts. Harry knows that his family had been acquitted of all charges. Afterwards, they mostly left the public eye. As much as you can do that when the general public still perceives you as Death Eaters that evaded justice, that is.

And now Draco Malfoy works in a cafe, and Harry pays him to make his coffee. That's... Putting it like that makes the whole situation sound bizarre. But isn't it, though? It really is.

But the really odd thing is that Harry doesn't mind. Not anymore. Sure, he's not used to it yet, but he can live with it. Last week and even yesterday he hadn't been sure, but now? If he's no longer forced to encounter an uncomfortably polite Malfoy and instead can get his coffee without much stress? Yeah, Harry is okay with that.

Malfoy is looking at him, eyebrows raised. Harry blushes and quickly turns his head away. He hears a scoff and doesn't dare look up again. Merlin, staring out the window is one thing but staring at Malfoy while lost in thought? Embarrassing. Let's not do that again.

Malfoy brings his coffee without a word. The atmosphere doesn't feel hostile, though, and Harry has become pretty good at judging that.

He doesn't rush to finish his drink today. Somehow, Harry feels as if he can breathe a little easier. Weird. A lot feels weird currently. He should probably give that some thought. Later. Now he's paying and then, off to work.

⁂

Friday comes around easily. Harry is actually somewhat excited when he leaves his flat this morning. Not only because of meeting Hermione and Ron in the afternoon but also because getting coffee doesn't feel like a chore today.

Again, Malfoy waves him off. Harry is relieved to be proven right. No need to repeat his order anymore, and no more politeness! Funny thing to be relieved about.

It doesn't take long for his coffee to arrive, except… "This doesn't look like what I usually get." The confusion is apparent on his face, and Malfoy has the gall to smirk down at him.  
"Technically, you didn't order anything. This is what you get."

Harry stares at him for a moment and then turns back to the cup in front of him. It seems to have some kind of foam on top. You know what, he can humour Malfoy for now. "What is it?"

"Caffè latte. It's made with espresso and steamed milk. Not that different from your normal coffee."  
At least Harry knows what those words mean, but he still doesn't get it. " _Why?_ "  
Malfoy smirks again. "Because you are too scared to order anything but coffee with milk."

"Come on, I'm not," Harry huffs, "I just like my coffee that way."  
Malfoy doesn't look convinced. "So you have tried caffè latte before?"  
Avoiding his gaze, Harry shrugs. "Not really, I guess."  
"And cappuccino?" Harry shakes his head. "Espresso, latte macchiato, caffè mocha?" At this point he's confused. Are there really that many coffee variants? Something tells him Malfoy could go on even longer.

When he stops responding, Malfoy smirks again. He motions towards the cup. "Try it."

Now, Harry is not here to get ordered around. But he has to admit, he _is_ slightly curious. And if he doesn't like it, at least he's proven right in his choice not to expand his coffee taste.

Besides, this feels like something of a peace offer, even if Malfoy is doing it to make fun of him. Harry wants to refuse, out of principle (and if he were a few years younger, he would have already done so). Instead, he sighs and rolls his eyes.

"Fine."

He takes a tentative sip. It does taste different but not in a bad way. There is probably more milk in it than he's used to and the foam makes it a bit of a different experience. Yeah, okay, he likes it. Damn it.

Malfoy is still looking at him, and Harry purposefully takes his time.  
Then, he shrugs and says as casually as possible: "It's alright."

The git is looking right through him if he interprets the smug expression correctly. Damn it all.

"Then you're paying for it." _What._

"I didn't even order it!" His protests fall on deaf ears, as Malfoy makes his way back behind the counter.

Fine. _Fine._ Harry is going to drink it, and if he's paying for it, he's going to bloody well enjoy it. And on Monday he'll order his coffee with milk and be done with it. He'll just have to remember over the weekend.

He does enjoy it. Under different circumstances, he might consider ordering it again in the future. But, there is no way he'll give Malfoy the satisfaction. Nope. Not happening.  
Bloody hell, he feels like a teenager again. Over _coffee_. The thought actually makes him laugh a bit. He's acting ridiculous, and he's _enjoying_ it. Weird. It's another weird day.

It just gets weirder. At work, Harry is handed a current case file. Not just someone else's report on it. Instead, he's supposed to do research and then decide if it's necessary to investigate in person. That's some actual progress compared to his usual tasks.

He had expected the research to be similarly draining as working through the completed reports. Instead, he feels invigorated. He hasn't been in such a good mood at work since he completed his training.

Now he's got something positive to talk about in the afternoon.  
If the day continues like this, it might just be the best one within the last month. That's a bit of a sad thought. Harry decides to ignore it. Instead, he focuses on his work. Soon enough, he'll meet up with his best friends and no matter what, that is something positive to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me a bit of trouble in the beginning but now I'm actually kinda happy with it.
> 
> Just a little heads up though: I'm probably not going to be able to keep up last weeks pace.  
> I have chronic pain in my wrists and they've been acting up this week, so it's going to take longer to write each chapter.  
> I haven't lost motivation though! I very much enjoy writing this story.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading it!


	7. Week 2 - Friday Afternoon

Harry meets Ron and Hermione in a muggle diner they had found last year. It had become their favourite place to meet up. At least their favourite, that wasn't any of their homes or their family's in Ron's case.

The diner is cosy and warmly lit. The birch furniture is decorated with deep red pillows, and the large windows look out over the Thames. The restaurant is usually full at this time of the day and week, so Hermione had called ahead and reserved a table for them. Despite the number of people in the room, the volume is acceptable.

It doesn't take long for Harry to get spotted after he enters the restaurant.  
"Harry, over here!" Ron is waving his arm from one of the window seats. Hermione is smiling and also gives Harry a small wave when he makes his way over to them.  
Ron stands up and pulls him into a half hug around the table. "Good to see you, mate."  
Hermione also hugs and greets him.  
"Nice to see you both, too. It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
They sit down, and Hermione smiles. "It has, but we've all been busy. What counts is that we're here now."  
Harry's glad she sees it like this. He had felt guilty for not reaching out earlier, but now he realises that they hadn't either. Hermione is right. What counts is that they managed to meet up today.

The order their food and soon have their drinks in front of them.  
"So, how's being an Auror now that you finished the training?" Ron asks, after taking a sip of his soda.  
Harry shrugs and tells them about the paperwork he had to work through previously.  
Ron laughs. "Man, I'm glad I realised early that I'm not cut out for it."

Harry silently agrees with him. He still wonders if he made the right choice; Especially compared to Ron, who seems to be content working with the twins. "I've finally got an active case that I'm supposed to assess. It's much more interesting." Before they can ask, he adds: "I obviously can't tell you about it. But the research doesn't make me want to pluck my brains out, so that's great."

Hermione looks at him, sceptically. "Once you finish this one, do you get another active case? Or will you go back to what you did before?"  
"Don't know," Harry shrugs, "I'll have to wait and see."  
Ron now looks just as sceptical as Hermione. "What're you gonna do if they don't give you another case? I mean, the paperwork doesn't exactly make you happy, does it?"

No, it definitely doesn't. Harry hadn't even considered that his work might revert back to its usual drag.  
He shrugs again. "I mean, I'll just have to power through, don't I? Eventually, they'll have to give me something more meaningful to do. Right?"

His friends don't look convinced. "Harry," Hermione starts, "why have you become an Auror?"  
"To help people", Harry doesn't even have to think about his answer. He adds: "And to keep others from doing harm."  
She nods. "Do you think you are currently achieving that?"

Ouch. "Not directly, no. But that's why I'll have to have patience, right? Just a bit longer and I'll be out there." He's not sure if he's trying to convince her or himself.

Ron and Hermione share a look, Harry isn't sure how to interpret.  
Finally, Ron says: "Yeah, just remember that if things aren't great, you can still do something else. If it worked for me, why shouldn't it for you?"

"I'll keep it in mind, thanks." Harry knows his friends mean well, but what is he supposed to do? He's been fighting all his life, what other skills does he even have that would help anyone? He's not a skilled healer or something like that.

Their food arrives shortly after. Ron has pasta with a herb sauce, Hermione has a mixed seafood plate, and Harry has ordered lasagna. The food tastes great, and they try a bit from each other's plates.

They talk about Hermione's work. Despite her age, she is steadily climbing the ladder within the ministry, and Harry's pretty sure she'll make it to Minister of Magic at some point. If anyone can make it, it's her.  
She laughs when he mentions that. "Maybe, but not within the next ten, fifteen years.

Ron has started working more shifts at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "Fred and George have even more time now to come up with new stuff," he explains, grinning. "Sometimes I'm their guinea pig, though. Had to walk around with blue hair yesterday. It took them until this morning to reverse it. Some lady actually told me it was _just terrible_ ," Ron says in a high-pitched voice, "for our brand to have someone without red hair work there."

Harry finally breaches the topic he has been dying to talk to them about. "So, do you guys remember that coffee shop I told you about?"  
Hermione nods enthusiastically. "Crow's Nest? I've actually been there a few times after work! You were right, the coffee there _is_ fantastic. And the owner certainly is interesting. They actually asked me if I was interested in working there a few weeks ago."  
Ron snorts. "Wow, they sure must be desperate. I wonder how that strategy worked out."

"Malfoy works there now," Harry says.  
His friends are staring at him for a moment. Then Ron starts laughing. "Yeah, sure. Malfoy works in a coffee shop. And I'm in charge of St. Mungos's."  
Harry shrugs. "Congrats then, because Malfoy actually works there. I see him every morning."  
Ron is back to staring.

Hermione, on the other hand, looks thoughtful. "So, the rumours are true then; he was actually disowned?"  
Harry joins Ron in the staring. "I... haven't heard anything like that. I mean, we aren't exactly talking about stuff like that, but..." Harry shrugs.  
Ron interrupts. "Wait, so not only are you seeing Malfoy every morning, you're also talking to him? Have you checked for any curses yet? You know, just in case."

Hermione tuts at him. "I highly doubt someone would curse Harry to speak with Malfoy." Ron starts to say something, but she holds her hand up. "And I doubt even more, that Malfoy would do something like that, considering that he probably wants to keep his job."

Harry nods. "Yeah, I'm not cursed or mind-controlled or something like that. I just want my coffee, and he works the morning shift. It's not that bad, honestly."

Ron isn't convinced yet, but he clearly holds himself back. "If you say so. But if Malfoy does anything suspicious get the hell out of there. Promise?"  
Harry can't help himself but grin. "Sure, promise." Ron might have changed over the last few years, but he's still worried about his friends. He's just a bit more mature about it. And while Harry is fairly certain at this point, that Malfoy won't start anything, he can do Ron the favour of playing along.

They spend the rest of the afternoon and the early evening catching up and talking about innocuous things. It is indeed the best day Harry had in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't have much to say today.
> 
> Typing still takes longer then I'd like, but there isn't much I can do about it.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	8. Week 3 - Monday & Tuesday

The weekend comes and goes. Harry manages to reach Carla finally. She's happy to hear from him but can't set a date yet to meet him. They're aiming for this or next week; she'll call him.

Harry feels pretty good all in all. He went grocery shopping for the week and actually decided against buying only premade meals. Ron had suggested he try a broccoli and chicken stir-fry, which is apparently pretty easy to make. So he bought the ingredients for that. Harry intends to make enough for two days. Only on one of them, he'll have to stand in the kitchen and do the actual cooking.

It's not that Harry doesn't know how to cook, his time with the Dursleys made sure of that. He's just mentally exhausted after work and cooking the meals he knows doesn't exactly bring back good memories. So he avoids it a lot.

Ron is usually the one that hands him new recipes to try. He cooks at his home with Hermione, and it shows. Whenever Molly and Arthur invite the bunch of them over for the holidays, Ron helps his mum out in the kitchen. It's nice to see, and Hermione is grateful too.

On Monday, Harry enters Crow's Nest optimistically. Malfoy looks sceptical when he answers Harry's "Good morning!" with a flat: "Morning."  
He motions for Harry to sit down, just like last time. Only as Harry's bottom hits the chair, he suddenly remembers. He looks up and wants to say something, but Malfoy is already at work. Suspiciously quicker than usual.  
Harry resigns himself to his fate with a sigh. It'll be fine. Hopefully.

His cup arrives, and Harry looks at it sceptically. It's a bit smaller than Friday, but again with foam on top. Malfoy doesn't seem inclined to explain without being asked, so Harry obliges: "What is it today then?"  
"Cappuccino. Similar to caffè latte; made with espresso, steamed milk and milk foam. Shouldn't be too scary after you managed to survive last time."

Harry resists the urge to roll his eyes at him. Instead, he takes a sip from his cup. There is definitely more foam this time. He only gets to the actual drink on his second try. Malfoy is right. It isn't that different, but Harry prefers his drink to be in the clear majority over the decoration.

"Bit much foam isn't there?"  
Malfoy shrugs. "Depends on taste. Cappuccino is decently popular among the other customers."  
Harry briefly wonders what Malfoys personal opinion on it is. He doesn't ask about it. Instead: "Do I have to pay for this again?"  
Malfoy smirks down at him. "Depends, do you intend on finishing it?"

Harry considers it. The cappuccino isn't bad, once he managed to get past the foam. And he is mostly past it. "Yeah, sure."  
"Then, the answer is yes." With that, Malfoy returns back to the counter, and Harry is left to consider this weird little play.

Malfoy seems to enjoy it, even if it's in a way that allows him to make fun of Harry. And yet, Harry doesn't mind it nearly as much as he expected.  
Malfoy is good at putting up a mask, but Harry still has the feeling that he hadn't enjoyed the first week and even most part of last week here at the cafe. Or at least, he seems more relaxed now.

Not that Harry cares much about all that, but it makes his mornings more enjoyable, too. And by now he is kind of interested in the different coffee variants. Fine then. He'll continue like this. If he gets fed up at some point, he can still decide to go back to his good old coffee with milk. For now, he's curious, and it doesn't bother him, so Malfoy can have his fun.

⁂

Chocolate does not belong in coffee. At least not in Harry's.  
His thoughts must show on his face, because Malfoy actually snorts, even if he tries to cover it with a cough. "I take it you don't like it, then."

When Harry shakes his head, Malfoy takes his cup of caffè mocha away.

Harry will remember that name, just to make sure he never orders it, even by accident. He can understand the appeal, in theory. Hot chocolate and coffee are both drinks he enjoys. Combining them sounds like a good idea. Again, _in theory_.  
Harry prefers to keep them separate in the future, thank you very much.

Malfoy returns with a fresh cup of what Harry recognises as coffee with milk.

When he sets down the cup, Harry takes his chance. Purposefully casual, he says: "You know, I never thought you'd be interested in coffee like that."  
Malfoy raises an eyebrow. "Do explain."  
Harry shrugs, grinning. "Always took you to be more of a posh tea drinker; With the old English family stuff going on. I imagined you'd be sitting in front of the fireplace with the paper, a teacup and being all proper after school." He takes up his own coffee cup, pointing his pinky in the air to demonstrate, all while putting up an expression of aloof arrogance.

It takes Malfoy a moment before he smirks down at Harry. "Well, wouldn't be the first time I surprised you, would it?"  
Harry drops the act. "I suppose not. Though, I do prefer this over some of the other 'surprises'." He shrugs. "And I don't think there is much more you can surprise me with."  
Malfoy narrows his eyes at him. "Is that a challenge, Potter?"  
Now, it's Harry's turn to smirk. "Only if you're up for it, Malfoy."

They stare each other down for a moment before Malfoy rolls his eyes. "You're an idiot."

"That's not much of a surprise that you think that. I'm afraid you'll have to do better than that."

Malfoy turns his head away, but Harry catches the grin on his face. Ha!  
"Just drink your boring coffee, and we'll see about surprises tomorrow."

Harry does turn back to his cup, grinning to himself. He's not sure why that was so much fun, but he sure doesn't mind. Besides, if bickering with Malfoy gets him answers on both what Carla meant, and the rumours Hermione mentioned, he's more than okay with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I wanted to say that I'm blown away by the reception this fic and especially the last chapter got!  
> Thank you so much to everyone that left kudos, subscribed or especially commented! It means a lot to me.
> 
> Secondly, I have two questions. If you want to answer, that would be great, if not, I will simply assume everything is fine.
> 
> 1\. Is anyone confused by the timeline?  
> I try to make it clear, but I also know myself and how easily I mix up stuff like this.  
> Just for reference, this chapter was Monday and Tuesday of the third week that Draco's working in Crow's Nest.
> 
> 2\. Can you tell that I don't actually drink coffee?  
> Most to everything I know is theoretical, and while I enjoy the research, I worry that I'm misrepresenting stuff.


	9. Week 3 - Wednesday

Harry sits in Crow's Nest on Wednesday, staring at his drink. At least, he _thinks_ it's his drink. It's pink.  
Well, the whipped cream on top of it is pink. The rest isn't really visible underneath it.

Harry looks up at Malfoy, who is smirking down at him. "Surprised?"  
Yeah, okay, Harry did kind of provoke something like this yesterday.  
He sighs. "Fine, you win today. What is it?"

Malfoy's smirk definitely gets wider before he answers: "Strawberry Latte, made with espresso, steamed milk and strawberry syrup. On top is strawberry flavoured whipped cream. Fair warning: it's sweet."

"Thanks", Harry grumbles. How is even supposed to drink this without getting whipped cream all over his face?  
Malfoy seems to read his mind. (Which is a terrifying thought. Harry is glad to be an Occlumens.) He says: "Usually we charm the topping to stay off the customers face, but I seem to have forgotten this time."  
Harry stares at him with narrowed eyes. "Sure. And you don't happen to recall said charm so I can do it myself?"  
Malfoy shrugs. Of course.

Harry briefly considers just using the fixing charm but decides against it. He's not sure how whipped cream would behave as an object, especially on top of a fluid like coffee.

Once again, he resigns himself to his fate. But before he tries the pink abomination, he has an idea. Probably a stupid one, but Harry tries anyway: "How about you sit down first?"

Malfoy looks shocked for less than a second before schooling his face back into a neutral expression. "And why would I do that?"  
Harry shrugs. "'Cause you're always hovering next to me when I try any of your weird drinks. Can't be too comfortable." It isn't for Harry. Besides if he doesn't like the drink, it's going to be more amusing for him to see Malfoy get back up and bring him a new one.

Malfoy stays silent for a moment. Then, with a lot more grace than Harry could ever muster, he pulls back the chair opposite Harry and sits down.  
Harry grins at him, like a dumbass, before he remembers what he's doing.  
He clears his throat and looks back at his strawberry something.  
"Here goes nothing", he mutters, more to himself than to Malfoy.

Harry tries his best, he really does, but as soon as he puts the cup to his lips, he can feel the whipped cream touching his nose. On the plus side, the drink does, in fact, taste good. Definitely sweeter than what he's used to, but he doesn't consider this a negative, surprisingly.

Harry sets the cup back down and tries to clean the tip of his nose with his tongue. If it were just a little longer...

Malfoy coughs and, without looking at him, wordlessly offers Harry a paper napkin. There is a pink tint to his cheeks, and suddenly Harry realises what he just did; not only in public but in front of Malfoy.  
He feels his head grow hot as he takes the napkin with a sheepish "Thanks."

Harry cleans himself up, and then, to end the embarrassing silence as quickly as possible, admits: "This is honestly pretty good."  
Malfoy shows just the barest hint of surprise. "And here I thought you didn't like your coffee sweet."

How nice. Malfoy brought him the drink, assuming he wouldn't enjoy it.  
Harry smirks: "Guess I'm full of surprises, too." He's pretty sure the fact that the sweetness adds another flavour here makes all the difference. He won't give that bit of information up just yet, though.

Malfoy leans back in his seat, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Well, at least you are paying for it then."  
Harry shrugs, still smiling. "I suppose so."

There is a moment of silence. It's less uncomfortable than the last one, though. So instead of filling it, Harry takes another sip of his drink.

It's actually Malfoy that speaks up this time: "You're an Auror now, correct?"  
Harry nods around swallowing his coffee. To his surprise, Malfoy continues: "I heard there was a decent fight between Aurors and a ring of illegal potion distributors last week. Where you involved in that?"

Harry shakes his head.  
He's read the report; The potions had surfaced repeatedly over the last few months. Last Wednesday the department had finally traced it to a pretty seedy part of wizarding London. The ring had set up their own professional brewery in an abandoned flat. The bust ended with one Auror and three of the brewers heavily injured, the rest in custody.  
He hadn't seen the papers report on it yet, though.

Pushing that thought aside for the moment, Harry explains: "I'm mostly stuck in the office, doing paperwork. However", he continues, suddenly more excited, "today, I'll be turning in the first case I assessed! I found some sites that might be related to it. We'll need to investigate those so I'll finally get out and actually do something."

"So what you're telling me", Malfoy says flatly, "is that the Aurors Office is confining you to a desk job, despite bragging about having Harry Potter on their team?"

"They are?" Harry asks incredulously.

Malfoy cocks an eyebrow at him. "Well, from what you just said, it did not sound like you do the paperwork because you want to."

Harry quickly shakes his head. "No, the bragging part. They aren't actually doing that, right?"

"Do you not read the paper?"

Harry looks at his cup, sheepishly. "I usually skip any articles that mention me."

"Of course," Malfoy scoffs. "Humble Potter."

"That's not-" he tries to protest, but gets waved off.  
"Forget it. Besides, before I got-" now Malfoy cuts himself off. "Before I moved out, the few people that visited my father also talked about it. Though, in less positive terms, as you can imagine."  
Harry sure can. He doubts any of Lucius Malfoy's associates have a favourable opinion of him.

But this is his opening!  
"Why'd you move out, anyway? I can't imagine your parents were too happy about that."  
Malfoy makes a sound, that sounds suspiciously like a bitter laugh to Harry. "Of course they weren't happy, but when have they ever been? They wanted me to marry some girl I didn't even know. It would have helped restore a bit of the family status. I refused, they set an ultimatum, and I moved out. Nothing more to it." He pauses and narrows his eyes. "Not that it is any of your business."

Harry holds up his hands in a placating manner. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Is that why you started working here?"  
"You just said, you don't want to pry", Malfoy snaps at him.  
Harry cringes. "Yeah, you're right, sorry."

There is an awkward silence, which Harry uses to contemplate what he just learned. It's probably fair to assume that Malfoy didn't tell him everything. So, Hermione's rumours might be true, after all.

"What about you and the Weasley girl then? Did you two actually separate or is that just another rumour?"  
Harry looks up, surprised. Well, he did just ask some invasive questions, might as well be Malfoy's turn now.

He shrugs. "We did. Turns out that we were mostly desperate because of..." the war "everything going on. When things settled down, we realised that it wouldn't work out."  
Harry stirs his almost empty cup and sighs. "And it's honestly better we noticed early. She doesn't deserve to be stuck in a pointless relationship."

Another stretch of silence. Harry should probably hurry and get used to them.

Finally, Malfoy says: "And you do?"

Harry blinks. "Sorry, what?"

"Deserve to stay in a relationship like that." Malfoy rolls his eyes. "You said _she_ doesn't deserve it."

Oh. Hm.

"I mean", Harry isn't sure what to say. "I guess not?" Good job, his therapist would be proud. "I just don't want to be the one that drags others down, I suppose." Maybe less proud.

Malfoy is looking at him like he's stupid, again. "It's not like you forced her to be in a relationship with you."

No, of course not. But...

Before he has a chance, to say something, Malfoy takes a look at his watch. He stands up, patting imaginary dust from his pants.  
"Regardless, you better finish that," he nods towards Harry's cup, "if you want to be on time."

He's right. Harry has already stayed longer than usual. He drinks the rest of his coffee and pays, leaving Malfoy the change, as he hurries out the door with an absent-minded: "See you tomorrow!"

Well, that was certainly some kind of morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're finally talking! That didn't take forever at all haha
> 
> Anyway, thank you, everyone, for answering my questions last time. It was very reassuring.  
> And as thanks, you even got a slightly longer chapter this time (which was totally planned, of course)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	10. Week 3 - Wednesday

Harry is pissed.

He had felt incredibly optimistic when he entered the Auror Office this morning. His appointment with his direct supervisor, Emilia Davenport, to go over his assessment of the case, had started soon after he arrived. At this point, he had still hoped he'd be able to start the site-investigations today.

Now? Not so much.

The whole thing had started out well enough. Harry presented his analysis of the existing information, his research and final assessment. Included were the three sites he had found, that might be related to the case.

His supervisor congratulated him on a job well done and then she said: "We will send someone to check on these locations. You can go."  
To be honest, in the first moment, Harry thought he misheard. Realising that, no, she did indeed just say that, he spoke up: "Ma'am, this is my case now. I should be the one to go out and investigate."

That didn't go over well, which is why Harry is still in her office, currently being accused of thinking himself superior to his fellow Aurors.  
"Mister Potter, you do not have the experience necessary for this. Are you suggesting you would be better suited than a more experienced Auror?"

Harry grits his teeth. He has to use every bit of self-control he learned over the years to not raise his voice at her. "No, but Ma'am, I already know everything about this case. Someone else would first have to read up on it. I'm not suggesting, I go alone, but how am I supposed to get any experience if I'm not even allowed to go out with a partner?"

She clicks her tongue dismissively and Harry balls his hands into fists. He feels like a teenager again, getting treated like this. "If you go with a partner, they would have to learn the details anyway, so that point is mute."

"But then I could it explain it to them while we're on the-" She cuts him off: "You can explain the case here as well. There is no need for you to go out."

Harry is _this_ close to just throwing his hands in the air. He has to take a deep breath before pressing out: "It would save time if I explained it on the way."

Davenport sighs, condescendingly. "Mister Potter, as I said, you don't yet have enough experience." He tries to interject, but she holds her hand up. Harry waits. "Since this is your first case, consider it an extension of training. You will first gather experience assessing cases, and then you will go and investigate sites in person. Now," she demonstrably looks at the clock on the wall, "this has already taken longer than I expected. Please prepare everything necessary for your colleagues to take over this case."  
Again, she cuts him off before he gets the chance to speak: " _Thank you_ , Mister Potter."

Harry leaves the room with nothing more than his materials and a curt nod. Leaving said materials on his desk, he heads straight towards the bathroom, desperately needing to be alone right now.

Thankfully the bathroom is empty, so Harry can take the time to stare in the mirror disbelievingly. That just happened. He got his first case, successfully assessed it and then got it taken away right when the really exciting part was supposed to start.

He's staring at his reflection. Maybe he's acting unreasonably. Maybe Davenport is right. Harry doesn't have much experience as an Auror yet, but his previous point still stands. How is he supposed to gain any if he's not allowed to do anything?

He can see his supervisor's point. But at the same time, he's frustrated by it. Harry did finish the training. Successfully at that. And now he's supposed to accept that he's still held back and in yet another training phase? Merlin, this is... a lot.

Harry turns on the faucet and lets the cold water run over his hands. It grounds him a bit. He takes a deep breath, watching his reflection do the same, turns off the water and dries his hands.

Fine then. Harry is going to prepare the case for the next Auror to take over. It's fine. Just. Fine.

As he makes his way back to his desk, he stops at the small pile of older newspapers. He takes a few of the ones he remembers seeing his name in with him. After all, he doesn't have a new case yet and organising the current one shouldn't take long.

Half an hour later, Harry has finished putting together a file for the no-longer-his case. It contains all the information he'd been handed in the beginning and everything he had found later. No one will be able to accuse him of messing that up.

Harry takes one of the newspapers at random and starts sifting through it. It doesn't take him long to find an article that contains his name. It's a sensationalist one about his relationship with Ginny. Perfect for his current mood, really.

The next paper contains a recap of Albus Dumbledores life. Harry is mentioned as his mentee. Also great.

The third one finally mentions Harry and the Aurors.

_With famous war hero, The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter as part of the Aurors, interest in the rigorous training for the profession has steadily increased. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement reports a record high of prospective candidates._

How nice. Apparently, his name alone helps them out. Harry shakes his head and takes the next paper. This one reads more like the bragging Malfoy mentioned.

_A team of Aurors, including Harry Potter (see the profile on page 16), investigated the case and managed to catch the wanted criminals in an Alley near a famous Muggle attraction. According to the Auror Office, no muggles were alerted of this, and the case could be closed without casualties._

Harry wasn't even involved in this! He read the incoming reports, but that was it. Surely they didn't use that as justification to report him as part of the active investigators. Surely...

The next two articles prove him wrong. That's precisely what's happening. Of every reported incident that Harry's name is mentioned, he read the reports.

Harry stares at the papers in disbelieve. This isn't right. It isn't fair to his fellow Aurors and it sure as hell isn't fair to him.

For the first time, since he became an Auror, Harry seriously considers quitting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of different chapter this time, but I wanted to include it first hand and not just as a recap.
> 
> I hope you still enjoyed it!


	11. Week 3 - Wednesday

Harry doesn't cause a scene at the Auror Office about what he realised while looking through the papers. He does wonder if his previous silence had been mistaken as approval, though. It wasn't supposed to be, considering that he didn't know anything before today. But his superiors still might have thought so. It's a horrible feeling, really.

After leaving work, Harry heads towards Crow's Nest. He doesn't want to be at his flat right now.

There are more people at this time of the day, but Crow immediately looks up and greets Harry with their usual smile: "Welcome back!" Harry makes his way to the counter, and Crow continues: "Haven't seen you in a while. I mean, Draco said you still come every morning, but it feels like _I_ haven't seen you in forever." They sound so cheerful that Harry can't help but smile.

"I've just been busy, is all", he offers.  
Crow immediately takes him up on it. "Of course, of course! Everyone's busy once in a while. Just remember to take a break when you need it."  
They gesture towards the menu. "What will it be today? Your usual or something more exciting?"

Harry actually has to take a moment and think. He did like the Strawberry Latte this morning but ordering it? Weirdly, it feels like that wouldn't be right.  
"Coffee with milk, please." He'll stick to that in the afternoon. He can try other drinks in the morning.

Crow grins: "As you wish!" They give a little mock-bow, and Harry finds himself already feeling better. This place and the people working here really have that effect on him. Yeah, alright, even Malfoy. Harry might find himself looking forward to tomorrow morning. Not that he is ever going to admit that out loud.

Harry goes to sit down. His usual seat is occupied already, so he makes do with one closer to the counter. It's tucked into a corner, partially hidden behind a large plant. Now that more people are in the shop, it suits him just fine.

Crow arrives with his coffee not long after. They put the cup down with a flourish that makes Harry a bit worried about spilling, but it works out fine. "Enjoy your break," Crow says with a wink and disappears back behind the counter.

Harry can't help but admire them. Sure, he knows people in customer service positions are supposed to appear cheerful. Crow seems to genuinely enjoy their work, though. Harry can't imagine working day in day out with complete strangers and making them always feel welcome.

He has no problem with seeing the same people every day, that's easy. Hogwarts made that very clear to him. Even the people he didn't like at least weren't surprises. His coworkers are alright too if he doesn't think about what he found out today.

Speaking of which, Harry feels the outrage from earlier return. He didn't really allow himself to feel it at work, afraid it might cause him to act without thinking things through. Now though?

Yeah, Harry is angry. And justifiably so! His name was taken to promote the Aurors and, he has to use Malfoys words, to brag about having him work for them.  
It hits Harry suddenly that he might never have discovered this or at least not for a long time if it wasn't for Malfoy. He'll need to to thank him, eventually. Great. That doesn't feel weird at all.

Harry sighs. The anger isn't gone, but he feels drained. What a day. It started off of on a high note and then just took a dive for the worst. Because that's his life apparently.

Harry takes a sip from his coffee.

He'll cook the broccoli and chicken stir-fry today. The ingredients have to be used anyway, and Harry will be sufficiently distracted. At least for a little while. Besides, eating homemade food is probably going to be good for his mood.

Sometimes Harry still wonders how he made it into adulthood. There were times in which he didn't think it possible. Many times. Way too many time, honestly. His life has always been a bit messed up. Just a _tiny_ bit.  
He's felt out of control for most of it. Everything was predestined or decided by adults Harry maybe shouldn't have trusted. Not the best role models, most of them.  
And now, Harry is an adult and supposed to make all the decisions himself. They're not world-ending, usually, but it's still a significant change.

It would be rash to just up and quit his job. Especially with no backup plan.  
There is a small voice in the back of his head telling him that Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, probably wouldn't have much trouble finding a job. Unlike Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater. Harry tries to ignore it. He doesn't want to rely on his name anyway.

Harry will think about it all for a bit longer. In the end, he's pretty sure he'll be fine. If nothing else, he can probably ask the twins for a part-time job. Though they might feel like they owe it to him, and Harry _really_ doesn't want that. Whatever. He'll be fine. Ron and Hermione will support him whatever he does, and they might even have some good suggestions.

He finishes up his coffee and goes to pay. Crow smiles, bright as ever. "I hope you feel a bit better. You looked pretty down for a while."  
Harry manages a smile in return. "A bit, thanks. Keep the change."

Harry has barely made it home when the phone rings. There aren't many people that have his number, so he almost rushes to pick it up.

Carla greets him with a cheerful voice. "Harry, you picked up! I've been trying to call you for an hour."  
Harry grins, it's good to hear her voice. "I just got home, sorry. How are you?"  
"Good, good! But more importantly, do you have time Friday afternoon? We could meet up then if you do."  
Harry doesn't have to think for long: "Sure, I've got time. Where do you want to meet up?"  
"Crow's Nest, of course!" Of course. Harry can't help but chuckle at her sounding so confident. Really, what was he thinking?  
When he doesn't respond right away, Carla adds: "I haven't seen Crow in a while, too and I don't know a place with better coffee." Harry can almost _hear_ her winking.  
"Alright then, Friday after work at Crow's Nest."  
"Yes, great, I can't wait!" she cheers, and that really improves Harry's mood. Who knew talking on the phone could have that effect.

After they end their call, "Movie night!" Carla said, Harry heads to the kitchen. He's now almost looking forward to trying this recipe.

The preparation doesn't take him more than 15 minutes, as Ron had promised, and in a little over half an hour, Harry is sitting at his table with a freshly cooked meal in front of him. And honestly? It's delicious. He wouldn't mind making this more often, and he's glad to have leftovers for tomorrow.

All in all, his day feels like it is ending positively. Harry surely isn't over his time at work, but his day doesn't feel ruined anymore. He's not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry had looong day, but it's over. And Carla will be back!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	12. Week 3 - Thursday

It's cold today, and Harry finds himself wishing he had brought some gloves with him, as he hurries towards the coffee shop. He can see his breath form little clouds in the air.

It's Thursday, and Harry doesn't particularly look forward to it. Well, at least not to the work part. He really doesn't mind his mornings in Crow's Nest with Malfoy anymore. On the contrary, he even looks forward to them again. At least a bit.  
Really, Harry and Malfoy have both grown up since their last petty bout in Hogwarts. Not that they had much choice. Everything had become more serious, after all.

The lights of the coffee shop seem even more inviting than usual. Harry doesn't waste time and gets inside. His glasses fog up immediately, and he takes them off the clean them on his shirt. Only afterwards does he realise that using magic would probably have been more effective. He shrugs and sets them back on his nose. Magic is great an all, but one doesn't have to use it for absolutely everything.

Now that Harry can see again, he realises that Malfoy is nowhere to be found. Harry waits a moment before calling out a tentative: "Morning?"  
There is a pause before the backroom door opens and Malfoy comes out. He doesn't seem to be in the least bit of a hurry as he takes his usual spot behind the counter. Only then does he look at Harry and offers a: "Morning. You can sit down." There is a hint of amusement in his voice. Harry realises, that yes, he had just been standing in the room as if he was waiting for permission. He hurries to his seat, shrugging off his coat in the process.

Soon after Malfoy appears with his drink. Today Harry can at least see his coffee. It's dark, and the milk foam is presented as one large drop in the middle of it.  
Harry looks up at Malfoy, hoping for the usual explanation. He doesn't have to wait long: "Something more classic today, a Caffè Macchiato. Meaning, as you can see, marked coffee. It's espresso with only a small amount of milk foam. You can mix it in if you want."

Harry immediately takes the provided spoon to do precisely that. He really doesn't want to drink almost pure espresso.  
Before trying the drink, though, he once again looks up at Malfoy and asks: "Do you want to sit down again?"

For a moment, there is no response before slowly Malfoy pulls the chair opposite Harry back and sits down. Harry smiles to himself.

Finally, he takes the coffee and tries it. The coffee flavour is a lot more intense than he's used to. The added milk is _just_ enough to make the whole thing drinkable.

Malfoy is looking at him expectantly. Harry makes a show of tasting the drink and then slowly putting it down. "It's alright, I guess. Drinkable but I don't need it again."

Malfoy nods, and then there is the by now somewhat familiar stretch of silence.  
To Harry's surprise, Malfoy breaks it first: "Did you get to investigate your case yesterday?"

Oh, right. He had told Malfoy about that. Harry sighs. "No, and it's not even my case anymore, honestly."

Malfoy raises his eyebrows. "Did you mess it up?" he scoffs.  
Harry huffs. Of course, that's the conclusion Malfoy would reach. "No," he says and feels the frustration building again. "Apparently, I'm too _inexperienced_ for the investigation. Wouldn't even let me go out with someone else."

"And how are you supposed to get experience then?"

Harry throws his hands in the air. "That's exactly what I've been saying! I'll have to assess even more cases and hand them over." He pokes at his drink as if it had anything do to with it. "It's stupid, that's what it is."

Malfoy pauses and then surprises Harry: "I agree. You'll only gather experience in assessing these cases and not in investigating them."

Harry stares at Malfoy. It feels weirdly good to hear him agreeing with Harry. "Yes," he says slowly. "that's what I was thinking."

There is another pause, and Harry gathers his thoughts. He still has to talk about something else. "I read some newspapers yesterday."

"Congratulations," Malfoy says dryly, and Harry has to laugh. That's more what he would expect.

"I mean, I read some of the articles mentioning me. You know, those I skipped before." He falters. It's really not a nice thing to talk about, Harry realises.

"And?" Malfoy prompts. Right. Harry has to get to the point.  
"I... Well, I know now what you meant when you talked about them bragging. And if you hadn't said anything who knows how long I would have stayed in the dark about it. So, thank you, I guess."

Malfoy is visibly taken aback by this, and it immediately cheers Harry up a bit. A moment passes before Malfoy coughs and looks away. "Your welcome. And no need to mention it again."

Harry smiles. "Alright."

"So what are you going to do, now that you do know about it?"  
Harry sighs again. "I'm not sure, honestly. They might have interpreted my silence as approval, you know."

Malfoy clicks his tongue, and Harry feels like he's being chastised by a teacher. "Firstly, you can't consent to something you don't know about. Secondly, silence is not consent." Malfoy narrows his eyes. He sounds agitated, even if he's trying to hide it. This might mean a bit more to him than Harry fully understands. Considering everything Malfoy had to do a few years back, he wouldn't be surprised.

"You're right. I mean, I know that but still... I'll have to think about it all a bit more. I don't want to do anything rash."

"Good job, not just acting like a Gryffindor."

Harry laughs. "How very Slytherin of you to say that." Malfoy smiles just enough for Harry to see it. It makes him feel a bit warm inside.

The moment is over in an instant, as Malfoy looks at his watch. He gets up and pushes the chair back in its place. Harry sighs; He knows what that means. Time to hurry up and get to work.

He'll continue to keep his head down. He can do this. Besides, just one more day and he'll see Carla again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm sick, which means writing is a lot harder than usual.  
> I hope this chapter is still coherent...
> 
> Additionally, I'll be on a little vacation next week.  
> I'm going to take time off until I'm back, in the hopes that I'll be fine by then.  
> If all goes well, I'll see you all on the 24th.


	13. Week 3 - Friday

It's another cold morning this Friday, but Harry at least remembered his gloves and scarf today. It's not too bad like this. Still, he doesn't linger on the streets any longer than necessary.

Malfoy stands at his usual spot behind the counter and actually says "Morning." before Harry has the chance. "Morning!" he answers, purposefully cheerful, just to set off Malfoy's dry delivery.

Harry is pretty sure what his mornings are like now. He enters the coffee shop, sits down, Malfoy brings him some weird coffee-like drink, and they might talk a bit. It's a routine Harry's alright with.  
So he sits down without waiting for Malfoy to tell him. He puts his gloves into his coat pockets and drapes said coat with his scarf over the back of his chair.

It's dark outside, and Harry is glad to be inside the warm shop. He knows why he's so positive today. Not because he had a particularly good time at work yesterday and is now looking forward to it. On the contrary, Harry can't wait to be done with work today. Afterwards, he'll head back here to Crow's Nest. Carla will be there, and they'll talk and laugh and... Harry is determined to have a good day. Very determined.

Malfoy brings him his drink. Once again, it has pink-tinged whipped cream on top, which hides the coffee underneath.  
"It's a Raspberry Latte. Similar to the Strawberry Latte, but less sweet and slightly sour." That... actually sounds pretty good?  
To Harry's surprise, Malfoy pulls back a chair and sits down at the table. He has to fight the urge of staring open-mouthed, as the other is looking at him expectantly. Right, the coffee.

To further his surprise, none of the whipped cream sticks to his face this time. Apparently, Malfoy actually charmed it for him. Maybe he _is_ warming up to Harry. Not a bad thought.  
The Raspberry Latte is indeed pretty good. The mentioned sourness turns it into a fun drink, Harry wouldn't mind having more often. Not as his usual coffee but once in a while, he might consider it. He definitely prefers it over the Strawberry Latte despite his previous assessment of it.

Once again, Harry makes a show of setting the cup down and taking his time before revealing his opinion. Malfoy doesn't seem particularly fazed, though.  
Harry clears his throat. "I take back what I said about the strawberry coffee. This is a lot better."  
"Less sweet?" Malfoy takes a guess.  
Harry nods. "And no sticking whipped cream." He gives him a wink... and regrets it immediately. Hot embarrassment floods through him. Why did he do that? Thankfully, Malfoy didn't see it, or if he did, he ignores it. Still, Harry vows to not do that again. No winking. None.

To distract himself, Harry starts talking: "I'm meeting Carla today."  
"I know," Malfoy says and does manage to surprise Harry once again. He should never have proposed that as a challenge. At this rate, Malfoy is definitely winning.  
"How?" is all Harry manages to say at that.  
Malfoy smirks and takes his sweet time answering. Prick.  
"We talk." Helpful as always.  
When Harry keeps quiet, Malfoy shrugs. "She wants to know how I'm doing here. And apparently, she can't do that without also talking about herself." He gives Harry an annoyed look, he can't quite place. "Or you."

Right. Okay. "So you-" Harry starts, but Malfoy interrupts: " _She_ talks about you. I don't, if that's what you were going to ask."  
Harry stifles a giggle. "I wasn't, but alright." Malfoy huffs and Harry has to actually laugh now. Merlin, they're acting like children. It feels oddly right.  
Still giggling, he tries again: "So you meet up regularly?"  
Malfoy, still with a sour look, shakes his head. "We write. She tried to convince me to get one of those muggle phones but..." He trails off, and Harry is left to imagine what exactly this 'but' means.  
"You don't want to?" he offers. It wouldn't surprise him.  
But no, Malfoy shakes his head. Uncharacteristically quiet, he says: "That's not it. I'm just not sure..." He pauses, takes a breath and then apparently comes to a decision. "I don't know how or where to get one." He looks like he's steeling himself for Harry's reaction.  
Harry, on the other hand, is floored. He didn't expect Malfoy to be so honest with him. And if he's also honest with himself, it's kind of endearing. Just a little bit.

So, instead of laughing, he does what he knows best: "Do you need help?"  
Now it's Malfoy's turn to be surprised. Good.  
It takes him a moment to respond, clearly not comfortable with the whole situation. Finally: "What do you suggest?"  
Harry smiles. "I could help you find a company, maybe? I mean, it obviously depends on where you live. If you lived in a muggle neighbourhood it would be easy, but I kind of doubt that. I know of at least two magical companies though that offer landlines now."

More and more wizards had started looking into muggle technology after the war. Mr Weasley was at the front lines, of course, together with most Muggle-borns and a lot of half-blood wizards and witches. In turn, some people started offering said technology for the magical population and turned it into a business.

"I'll think about it." Malfoy obviously tries to sound aloof, but Harry isn't that easily fooled.  
He smiles. "Do that. We'll see each other anyway, so you have more than enough time."

Malfoy clears his throat and decidedly changes the topic: "Do you know by now what Carla wants to talk about?"  
Right. Harry had almost forgotten about that. He sighs. "I have some suspicions, but I'd rather not put my foot in my mouth."  
Malfoy smirks, back to his usual self. "So you just wait it out?"  
Harry shrugs. "Yeah, I guess. Whatever it is, it won't be too bad."  
"Yes, you will survive, I'm afraid."  
Harry gasps, pretending to be offended. "Is that how you treat a paying customer?"  
Malfoy shrugs, standing up. "You were the one that wanted to be treated differently. Now hurry up, if you want to be on time."

He's right. Lately, Harry tends to forget the time while at Crow's Nest. He should keep an eye on that. But it's also comfortable somehow. And weirdly, he feels like Malfoy will probably continue to make sure he isn't late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!  
> Still sick, but back.  
> Updates will likely be slow going forward; college starts next week again, and that'll have to take priority.
> 
> I hope you continue to stick around and enjoy this story, though!


	14. Week 3 - Friday Afternoon

"Harry!" He has barely stepped inside Crow's Nest when his name gets called out. Carla is sitting at his usual table, leaving his seat empty, and waving widely.  
Harry can't help but smile. He gives Crow a wave, who returns the greeting immediately with a thumps-up. Not wanting to leave Carla waiting any longer, he heads over to her.

She practically jumps out of her chair and throws her arms around his neck. He has no choice but to return the hug as she squeezes him. He feels like a long lost Quidditch player finally returning home.

Carla finally lets him go, smiling brightly. "I'm so glad to see you again!"  
Harry joins in on the smiling. "Me too. It's really different now, not seeing you every morning."

"Right?" Carla laughs and sits back down. "It's so weird. Nisha..." she pauses, looking at Harry questioningly. He smiles, also sitting down.  
"Your girlfriend...?" he prompts, and Carla immediately goes back to talking.  
"Yeah, right, she says I'll get used to it eventually. You know, not starting the day on my own and only talking to one person in the morning. But she's so much better with finding new friends than me."  
She sighs. Harry, on the other hand, is surprised: "Really? It didn't feel like you had any trouble when we met."

Carla laughs again, looking away. "Yeah, that was a bit different. Of course, in the beginning, I did think I was being weird, wanting to talk to you. I mean, you were a customer and all that. But when it became clear, that you would be coming regularly, I thought it would be even weirder _not_ talking. So I just went for it." She grins, now turning back to Harry. "And it turned out great, right?"

Yes, it really did. Them now meeting up was proof of it. So he nods, and her smile gets impossibly brighter.  
Before they can continue though, Crow turns up with two steaming cups. "One coffee with milk." They set the cup down in front of Harry, who thanks them. "And one Vanilla Cinnamon Latte for our most special guest of the day."  
Carla giggles at that. "Thanks, Crow."  
"You're very welcome. Enjoy!" They give an approximation of a bow and return to the counter. Carla is still giggling.

The cinnamon smell of her drink reaches Harry's nose, and he finds himself thinking, that he wouldn't mind trying it.  
Wow, a few weeks ago, that thought would never have crossed his mind. It's all Malfoy's fault, really. If he hadn't forced Harry to try different drinks... Alright. Forced is the wrong word. Harry definitely had a choice. The most Malfoy told him, was to try the drink. Not much force at play here and labelling it as such feels unfair.

"Harry?" Carla looks at him, brows furrowed. Oh, right.  
"Huh? Sorry, I was just... thinking."  
She immediately grins and leans forward. "Oh? What about?"  
Of course. Harry snorts. "Not nosy at all, are you?"  
Carla knows that he's just teasing and plays along with an offended gasp. "Never! I am simply curious about my friend's well being." Putting on a serious look, she continues: "Especially when he stares off into space and is," she pauses dramatically, " _thinking_." Her doomsday expression quickly dissolves into helpless giggling.  
Harry has trouble keeping his composure. He enjoys seeing Carla having a good time.

After multiple attempts at deep breaths, she is finally able to talk again: "I'm sorry. It's just been a while since I went out with a friend like this."  
"Your new job is keeping you busy?"  
Carla nods. "Yes. I mean, I've been after it for so long, and now I got it and..." She sighs. "It's obviously different than I imagined. My coworkers are nice, and all but everyone is so... distant, I suppose. I'm the new one, and it definitely feels like it." She stays quiet for a moment. Then, as if she wants to reassure him, she quickly adds: "I do enjoy the work itself though!"

Harry wants her to ask more about it but doesn't get the chance; Carla suddenly lights up. "Anyway, you still have to tell me about you and Draco! I want to know everything," her excitement tapers off for a moment, "If that's alright with you, of course."  
There it is. The dreaded moment.  
Harry sighs. "I think you've got yourself a little too excited. Malfoy and I just..." He isn't sure what exactly he wants to tell her. Not _everything_ , that's for sure. He settles for the basics: "We went to school together and kinda became enemies from day one." He laughs: "As much as you can be enemies when you're eleven." Sobering up, he continues: "Later it got more serious though, and we both did some things we're not proud of. At least, I'm not, and I don't believe he is." That was alright, he thinks. Very concise.

Carla is visibly disappointed by this. "That's it?"  
Harry nods, and she frowns. "I was so sure you had some kinda big dramatic love story in the past. You know, the way he looked at you? Totally gave me the impression."  
"Um," Harry responds. It makes her laugh again.  
"Yeah, I could have sworn, he was hoping to rekindle the relationship with his long lost love. He was definitely preparing some kind of grandiose gesture in his head." Okay, now she's just teasing him.  
Harry relaxes a bit and allows himself to play along: "Well, then he should have just done so. Now I'm left remembering the good old days all on my own." Placing a hand on his heart sends Carla into a full-blown laughing fit.  
"Well, maybe", she presses out, "maybe you should take action than!"  
"I'm doing more than enough by accepting his weird coffees, thank you very much."

Carla sobers up in an instant. "What?"  
Huh. Harry could have sworn, Malfoy would have bragged about that to her. "Uh, he's been giving a new coffee variant every morning. I'm no longer allowed to order my usual. I do get it though if his stuff is undrinkable."  
"You're telling me", Carla says in a solemn tone, "that he accomplished in three weeks, what I wasn't able to do in months?"  
Harry shrugs. "I suppose? It's not that big of a deal, though."  
"Not that big of a- do you know how much I talked with Crow about trying to convince you to finally try something else?"  
"No?" This is a much stronger reaction than Harry anticipated. Carla looks downright offended right now.

"Okay, so let me get this straight; Draco, your so-called 'enemy'," she draws finger quotes in the air, "got you not only _once_ to try something that isn't just coffee with milk, but multiple times? Often enough that you don't order your regular at all in the morning. And that in _three weeks_."  
"Yes?" He's not really sure what her point is.  
"And you're telling me you _don't_ like him?"  
Harry is still confused. "I mean, I don't hate him anymore, if that's what you mean."  
It's not, judging by the face she pulls. "Harry, why would you accept something from someone you don't like if you wouldn't even take it from one of your friends?"  
He shrugs. "He just brought it out, and I couldn't refuse and look scared, could I?"

Carla groans. "Okay, let me phrase this differently: Why would Draco go through the trouble of making different coffee types for you, every morning, when your regular is so much easier?"  
Harry answers slowly: "To make fun of me?"

Carla slumps against the back of her chair, staring at the ceiling. " _I'm_ going to make fun of how dense you are tonight."  
When Harry doesn't answer, she looks back at him and takes a deep breath. "Okay, let me spell this out for you: Draco does not see you as his enemy or rival or whatever you want to call it. At a bare minimum, he wants to have a neutral relationship with you, if not a friendly one. My bet is on the latter. If not more."

Oh.  
Hm. That makes sense. Mostly at least. Maybe she's right.  
Harry did find himself looking forward to his mornings lately. If Malfoy really wanted to antagonise him, there would have been much more obvious ways than making different coffee, most of which Harry actually likes.

"Okay, so we're no longer enemies." Carla nods, clearly happy he's catching on. Harry sighs. "Honestly, I don't think I've really seen him as one in a few years."  
She smiles at him. "He probably feels the same!"  
Maybe. "But there is still... a lot in our past, that I don't think either of us could forget." Or the rest of Wizarding Britain for that matter.  
Carla doesn't seem too concerned about it. "So? No one says you have to forget. If you can talk normally, maybe you'll be able to forgive at some point. No forgetting needed."

Harry wants to tell her that it's not that easy. That some things _are_ unforgivable. He doesn't.  
Maybe they are. But perhaps Harry can imagine being friendly with Malfoy.  
Hell, aren't they already? It might not be what he usually sees as someone being nice, but for Malfoy? It's a pretty significant change to their past interactions. And it's not a bad thing; He likes it. It takes a lot less effort, too.  
So instead, he tells her: "Maybe you're right."

"Of course, I am!" Her smile turns devious: "And maybe there could be that great love story in your future."  
She waggles her eyebrows at him, making Harry snort. "Yeah sure, you just want someone to go on a double date with you or something."  
Carla gasps. "Oh no, my genius plan has been revealed."

After that, their conversation turns back to more relaxed topics. When Harry returns to his flat that evening, his throat is a bit sore from talking. He doesn't mind. On the contrary, this was one of the best days he had lately. And he does still look forward to returning to Crow's Nest on Monday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Every time I sat down to work on this chapter I got interrupted and had to do something else. Every. Time.
> 
> But at least it's longer? And Carla is here!


	15. Week 4 - Monday

That weekend Harry looks up magical companies in London, that offer landline-access for witches and wizards. Just in case, Malfoy takes him up on the offer. He doesn't want to look like he can't actually help.  
The two he had in mind were easy to find. However, they only offer it in particular parts of London. Primarily those that are close to muggle parts of the city, like Harry's flat. Probably to use the pre-existing network. It does make it a bit more difficult for Harry. Still, after a while, he finds one company that is focused on wizard-only communities and one that operates in all of London. He writes down the information for all four businesses.

Feeling very much prepared, Harry heads out to Crow's Nest on Monday. What he's not prepared for are two people already talking to Malfoy.  
All three completely ignore him when he enters and says his usual "Morning." Huh. Well, Harry can wait.

He makes his way to his usual seat, takes off his coat and sits down. Turning to the window, he tries to at least listen for cues that the other customers are finished with Malfoy. Finally, he notices that he can't actually hear them. Curious, Harry looks up. Did they use a silencing charm? If yes, why?

Harry musters them. It's hard to tell from behind, but they appear to be a man and a woman. The shorter one is gesturing pointedly, and Harry looks at Malfoy for clues. He seems surprisingly relaxed and even smiles from time to time. Almost each is accompanied by an eye roll, but nothing points towards him being uncomfortable with the situation.

Curious but no longer fearing a threat, Harry turns back to the window. Might as well wait this out.  
It doesn't take long for someone to turn up at his table. Expecting Malfoy, Harry looks up and is surprised to find Pansy Parkinson towering over him. Nodding towards the empty seat opposite him, she asks with a smile that is all teeth: "May I?" It does not feel like a request. So Harry nods, dumbfounded.  
While she pulls back the chair, Harry chances a look towards the counter. And sure enough, that's Blaise Zabini, now also looking towards him, smiling easily. Malfoy is frowning.

"So nice to see you, Potter," Parkinson says, immediately recapturing his attention. She's still smiling. It's very uncomfortable but in a calculated kind of way.  
"Parkinson, what-" he doesn't get to say more.  
"Blaise and I just happen to be visiting our dear friend Draco over there," Harry sees Malfoy turn away as soon as his name is mentioned. Huh.  
Parkinson continues, unfazed: "And then it turns out that _you_ are a customer here. Imagine our surprise!" She does not look surprised. On the contrary, she looks like she has been waiting for this moment. Harry tries his hardest to keep his face neutral.

"Now," Parkinson puts her elbows on the table, leaning closer, "from what we gathered, you're somewhat of a regular here, correct?"  
Is he being interrogated? To what purpose? Harry desperately wants to look to Malfoy for further clues but doesn't dare turn away from Parkinson's stare. That leaves him with no choice but to answer: "Yes?"  
Wow, that sounded confident. Parkinson smirks.

"Well, I'm sure you can understand that we are a bit..." she pauses, clearly for dramatic effect if nothing else, " _concerned_." Ah, so that's what all this is about. Harry relaxes a fraction. Parkinson only seems to grow more intense.  
"Considering your shared history-" that sounds weird even in this context, "we just wondered, why you'd specifically come here of all places." She seems to think Harry one day saw Malfoy working here and decided to torment him with his presence from then on.  
Instead of giving her any information, though, Harry just shrugs: "The coffee's good." He has to fight down a grin when she frowns. Two people can play this game.

It only takes a second for her to regain her composure and continue: "Well, of course, but that wouldn't be enough reason to get my drink of choice from Granger or something." Harry wonders what Hermione would think of that. Does Parkinson's hypothetical extend beyond just coffee? Would she refuse, for instance, Ministry orders if they came from someone she has such profound disdain for? Let's hope not.

Harry has the urge to just shrug again but decides against it at the last moment. "I don't know what Malfoy told you, but I already came to this place months before he started working here. Don't you agree that it would have been childish to stop because of that?"  
She frowns again, clearly thinking about it. It surprises Harry that she's even taking him seriously.  
Hm.  
Maybe he still is a bit childish. Maybe they all are.

Finally, Parkinson speaks up again: "Fine. But just to be clear, if you do anything messed up, we'll know. And you'll regret it." She's staring him straight in the eyes, and Harry doesn't doubt her at all.

"That's enough now."  
Malfoy is suddenly standing next to the table, looking pointedly down at Parkinson. He's carrying a cup of what looks suspiciously like coffee with milk. Maybe he doesn't want his friends to know about those other drinks. Hm.  
Parkinson frowns at Malfoy.

"Get up, you're not allowed to harass customers."  
She opens her mouth to say something, but he cuts her off: "Yes, even Potter counts." How nice.  
She sniffs indignantly. "You're ruining all my fun, Draco."  
Malfoy shrugs. "I don't care." Then he smirks and adds: "Unless you want to pay for his coffee?"  
That gets Parkinson to snort and stand up immediately. "As if. I'm barely ever paying for my own drinks."  
"True!", calls Zabini from where he still stands by the counter. It's the first thing Harry has heard him say since he's here. Parkinson sticks out her tongue at him.

Malfoy finally sets down Harry's cup. Without another word, he pulls Parkinson with him towards the counter.  
Harry turns to the window, hiding his smile. He's glad Malfoy still has his friends. And they're clearly looking out for him, even if it's in their own kind of way.

They keep talking the rest of his stay and let him pay without incident. On his way out, however, Parkinson calls out: "I meant what I said!" Again, Harry believes her. And he's kind of glad on Malfoy's behalf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what; I'm still around!  
> I know this took forever, but I'm sure you can all guess the reason.  
> I'm mostly alright, health-wise.  
> I'm just a bit overwhelmed considering that I now have to learn everything on my own because my college can't offer online classes and some of my profs are not... great at providing comprehensive material.  
> I'll try to update at least every two weeks, but depending on the situation that may change. 
> 
> I hope you are all safe!


	16. Week 4 - Monday Evening

A winter market has set up in the back alleys of muggle London. Well, _officially_ it belongs to the muggle part of the city. In reality, there is a significant overlap with the wizarding population in this area. It's the reason the market seems just a bit more magical to the muggles, and why it's never as crowded as one would expect.  
Hermione had all but physically dragged Harry (and Ron) there after he had admitted to never having visited one. It has become a bit of a tradition since then, to visit it on its opening night. It's been open for a few weeks now.

When Harry returns from work later than planned, he decides to stop by the market. It's a different feeling, going alone, but it doesn't lose any of its wonder for him.  
Lights blink and twinkle in different colours all around Harry. He can smell baked goods, candied apples and almonds, as well as more savoury foods, such as sausages, and mushrooms. The people happily chatter among themselves or with the vendors.  
It's a symphony of delight for his senses. Harry can't help but smile.

He buys himself some chestnuts to eat while wandering the market. Next to the stall is one that sells delicate wooden figurines. Handmade, but maybe with the help of some magic by the looks of it. The muggles wouldn't notice. A little snake with individually carved scales catches Harry's eye. Did it just look back at him? Surely not. That would be a bit much, right?  
The woman behind the figures smiles at him. Harry smiles back and then hurries onto to the next stall. Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if some wizards and witches towed the lines on what was acceptable in a place like this. Harry prefers not witnessing anything like that. He's off work, and it better stay that way.

After passing a few more food stalls, Harry stops at one that sells cold-process soap. When he asks what exactly that means, the seller happily starts telling him all the details. After the impromptu monologue, Harry knows they're handmade, that it involves some chemical, and they smell good. He buys a chocolate-scented one.

His supply of chestnuts has dwindled by now, and Harry decides it's time for something to drink. There is a small stall in one of the corners of the market. It sells the best non-alcoholic mulled wine here. Harry heads over there, already excited for the drink.  
There is a small line, but Harry doesn't mind. He has no other obligations today. Might as well enjoy his time here.

He doesn't intend to listen in on the people around him, but it's a habit he never managed to break. It was too often a necessity.  
Next to him is a small child, maybe four or five, telling its mother about the candied apples that are being sold everywhere. Apparently, the child saw a green one and now wonders if it might be poisoned. Harry hides a smile in his scarf. Cute.  
Further down the line, a man asks his partner: "Do you really need more books?" Which gets an empathetic "Most definitely!" as a response. Harry grins to himself. Might as well have been Hermione and Ron.

Finally, it's his turn to order. The teenager behind the counter grins up at him, revealing a gap between their upper front teeth. "What can I get ya, mister?"  
"One mulled wine without alcohol please."  
"Sure thing!" Within less than a minute, Harry has paid and is handed a cup of steaming dark liquid. The smell of fruit and spices is divine.

He scans the nearby area for any free seats and quickly spots a table only occupied by one person. He makes a bee-line towards it, taking care not to spill any of his drink. Reaching his goal, he steps up to the table with a polite smile. "Is this seat taken?"  
The man looks up and for a moment, expresses the same surprise Harry feels. "Potter?"  
This is the last place Harry would have expected to meet Malfoy of all people. Well, to be honest, the coffee shop previously was the last place Harry had expected him to turn up at and look at how that turned out.  
But there is no doubt, now that he can see his face. He's wearing a nice dark grey coat, black gloves and a black scarf. It's kind of weird now, seeing him without his work apron. He has his own steaming drink in front of him, though Harry's not sure what it is.

Malfoy sighs. "It's free. You can sit down if you want." He sounds resigned, Harry wonders why. He shrugs the thought off and takes Malfoy up on the offer, setting down his cup. Might as well use the opportunity.

There is a moment of silence, not that Harry had expected anything else. He wants to give Malfoy the chance to say something first but as time stretches on this seems more and more unlikely.  
So, Harry asks the first thing that comes to mind: "Have you been here before?" He tries for a neutral, maybe even friendly tone. He doesn't want Malfoy to think he's antagonising or making fun of him. Especially now that they're outside the safety of the somewhat professional atmosphere inside the cafe.  
Malfoy looks up from his drink and takes a moment before he answers: "Twice." Harry thinks that's all he's going to get, but then Malfoy continues: "The first time alone, the second time with Pansy and Blaise."  
Since he's alone again, Harry follows up with a questioning smile: "They didn't like it?"

Malfoy shrugs. "They liked it well enough." He fidgets with his cup or a moment. Is he nervous? Finally, he says: "I live nearby."  
Ah. So Malfoy didn't get a flat in a primary magical neighbourhood after all. Harry is not completely surprised. If Crow's Nest is now his only income, the flats here are more sustainable. As nice as Crow is, they surely can't afford to pay Malfoy enough to get one of the more expensive places to live. Now that he thinks about it, that also explains how he knew about the illegal potion ring. Or at least the fight the Aurors had with them. That wasn't too far off from here, and the word spreads fast in places like this.

Harry realises that Malfoy is clearly waiting for a reaction from him. He smiles easily. "That'll make it easier to get a landline then."  
It's clearly not what Malfoy had expected. But after a moment of looking taken aback, a small smile spreads on his lips. It's a good look.  
"I suppose so." Harry gives him another smile, and they fall back into silence, both nursing their drinks for a while. It's a lot more comfortable now.

Finally, Malfoy speaks up again: "Were you serious when you offered your help on Friday?" He's lacking any snide or arrogance when he asks; It's a bit disconcerting.  
Harry tries to sound as sincere as possible: "Of course. I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it. Actually," he pauses and starts fishing in his inner coat pocket. "Here!" He pulls out the paper with the information on the landline companies. "I've already done some research." Offering it to Malfoy, he explains: "I found four companies that would work. The first two might be more suitable, though, if you live around here."

Malfoy carefully takes the piece of paper from him and studies it for a moment. Finally, he neatly folds it and tucks it into one of his coat pockets. Without looking up, he says: "Thank you."  
Harry grins at him. "Your welcome." There is that weird warm feeling again.

After that, they don't say much more. Still, it's nice.  
Harry likes this almost more than doing the same thing in the cafe. Here there is no time pressure and no need to keep things professional. And still, they manage to behave civilly. More than that, honestly.

Malfoy finishes his drink first. He stands up and shoots Harry a quick look, he can't place. "I suppose I will see you tomorrow morning, then?"  
Harry smiles. "Yup, same as always."  
Malfoy nods, taking his now empty cup and tugging his coat close.  
Before he can turn away, Harry quickly adds: "Get home safe."  
Malfoy blinks, then smiles again and turns around. "You too."

Harry doesn't stay much longer. He returns his cup after finishing his drink and gets something to eat for his way home. The chestnuts were good, but he needs something more filling if he doesn't want to make anything at home. He's still smiling the whole time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed something nice, so the boys also got to have a good time.  
> Also, this fic is set in winter; I'm allowed to write about winter markets! (I texted my best friend and she said yes, so...)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you are all staying safe!
> 
> __~~Edit: This fic is not abandoned! I will likely continue in July.~~  
>  Edit the second: I added the timeline as the chapter names. It's mainly to help myself keep everything in order. Tell me if it's distracting or something.  
> Edit the third: I'm sorry. I have to put this fic on official hiatus until my life decides to get itself back together. I'm currently dealing with the third (fourth? I lost count) pet emergency since I posted this chapter, and other things are stressing me out as well. Stay safe, and hopefully, I'll be back soon(-ish).


	17. Week 4 - Tuesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers,  
> First of all, I want to apologise for my long absence. It was not planned, and I really thought I would return sooner.
> 
> Before we start, I want to make one thing very clear:  
> Trans women are women.  
> Trans men are men.  
> Non-binary people are non-binary.  
> And JK Rowling can Fuck. Right. Off.
> 
> The following will be a bit of a rant about this situation, so if you want to skip straight to the chapter, I understand. Have fun.
> 
> For everyone else:  
> I'm not going to lie to you; returning to this story has been incredibly taxing. Every time I thought about it or sat down to write on it, I was hit with this wave of rage and exhaustion.  
> To know, that an author who I used to admire a lot, openly writes about her hatred, of course, she doesn't phrase it that way, but it is hatred, hatred of trans people... It hurts. It hurts a great deal.  
> I am honestly scared for the trans community. A public figure such as Rowling openly endorsing transphobes can very well lead to even more violence against us, especially trans women. I'm personally not at risk of physical violence. I can live mostly in the closet and survive. It's not right, but I can live with it.  
> I know that I myself am still part of the younger generation of queer people. But if you are even younger than me, if you are 20, 18, 16, 14 or what have you, know that people are out there that love you and will love you for who you are. We can get through this.  
> And Rowling can not take away the good things her books have done for us. I understand if you want nothing to do with them anymore. And while I don't think anyone should ever buy anything of the official Harry Potter things again, it's okay to hang on to what you have. It's okay to keep your love for this world and its characters. I will keep writing this story, and if it brings you joy, feel free to stick around. I will not let Rowling rob me of my love for writing this.
> 
> Stay safe, prioritise your wellbeing. Keep others as safe as you can. Stay strong. People love you, you are not alone.

Harry feels excellent when he heads out this Tuesday.  
After returning home last night, he had managed to get a surprisingly good nights sleep. It felt like he had a clear head for the first time in weeks. Perhaps he should head out on his own more often? Not that he ended up alone. Meeting Malfoy might have actually added to the effect. He wouldn't discount it, honestly.  
Harry decides to talk to Malfoy about his work later. Getting a Slytherin perspective might be helpful. Or maybe he just wants Malfoy's opinion. Whatever.

The cafe is empty when he enters, but Harry is sure Malfoy will soon emerge from the back room. He calls a cheerful "Morning!" to let him know he's here and heads over to his seat by the window. Sure enough, Malfoy appears only moments later. Harry waves and Malfoy answers with an almost friendly "Morning" of himself. Harry smiles.

It doesn't take long for Malfoy to appear in front of Harry and carefully place a steaming cup on the table. Harry is surprised to recognise the smell.  
"Vanilla Cinnamon Latte." Malfoy sits down and looks at him expectantly.  
"You and Carla wrote again?", Harry asks, taking in the warm cinnamon smell of his drink, the spice resting on top of the white foam.  
Malfoy nods, "She asked me to tell her what you think of it."  
Harry laughs at that. Of course.  
He takes the spoon Malfoy was so friendly as to provide and mixes in both the cinnamon and the foam. The spice seemingly clings to the surface for a bit before finally joining the rest of his drink.

Harry takes a careful sip of the drink and pauses in astonishment. If you could put pure comfortable warmth into a cup, this would be it. The vanilla works excellently with the milk to rid the coffee of its bitterness, and the cinnamon feels like a warm blanket topping it all off. And it's not even sweet while doing all this.

Malfoy is still watching him, and Harry looks up at him with big eyes. "Okay, you got me. I'm not going back to just coffee and milk after this."  
Malfoy actually laughs at this and Harry can't help but grin at him. Laughing suits Malfoy, he thinks. He should do it more often.

Harry tries to hide his grin with another sip of his latte. He's enjoying the warmth that seems to start in his chest, spreading out through the rest of his body. This drink really is excellent.

After a long moment of comfortable silence, Harry finally broaches the subject that's always been on his mind lately. "You know, I don't mind coming here in the morning, but I'm really not looking forward to going to work at this point."  
Malfoy leans back in his chair. "From what you have told me thus far, I can't say I blame you."  
It's a good feeling, hearing Malfoy agree with him again.

They stay silent for another moment in which Harry drinks his latte and Malfoy seem to be contemplating something. Finally, he speaks up again: "Can I ask you a question?"  
Harry nods, slightly taken aback.  
"What is your primary goal, working as an Auror?"  
Harry holds back a snort. This almost sounds like something he'd be asked at a job interview. But he doesn't want Malfoy to think he's making fun of him, so he answers seriously: "I want to help and protect people from being harmed."

Malfoy pauses. "Have you considered that perhaps you have chosen the wrong profession, then?"  
Harry blinks. "Why?"  
Malfoy takes a moment to look him over. Harry feels weirdly exposed by this.  
"As an Auror, don't you usually just see the aftermath of people getting hurt? Of course, if you close a case successfully, you may prevent further crimes by this one criminal but does that really help people in the long-term?"  
If Harry is completely honest with himself, this is something he hadn't really allowed himself to think about. But the thought had crossed his mind occasionally. Especially while reading case reports. It always came with a bitter feeling of helplessness and frustration. Because really, what is he doing to actually help people? Sitting at his desk, reading about victims in need of justice? He wants to prevent people from becoming victims in the first place! But how could he possibly do that?  
He sighs. "You're right." He shakes his head. "But being an Auror is the closest I've come to actively protecting people. I don't know what alternatives there could be."

Malfoy nods thoughtfully, "I see." He stays quiet for so long, Harry thinks they're done with the topic. Finally, Malfoy continues: "I don't want to tell you what to do, but have you talked to Granger and Weasley about this? They certainly know you better than I do."  
Harry winces. "Kind of? Ron said I could still find another job since it worked out for him."  
Malfoy makes a face. "As much as I hate agreeing with Weasley, he's not wrong."  
Harry almost snorts, before his thoughts turn sombre again. "In theory, I guess. But I would need to actually know what else to work as. I can't just quit and hope for the best." He stops and then adds: "Also, I'm not really qualified for most jobs, I think."  
Malfoy waves him off at the last part. "You weren't qualified to be an Auror before starting training either." A small smile sneaks onto his face but vanishes as quickly as it came. "I wasn't qualified to work as a barista before Carla taught me, either. You're not stupid despite how you act occasionally."  
Wow, that was... That was pretty much a compliment, wasn't it? A Malfoy kind of compliment but still.  
Harry can feel his face warm up slightly and instantly tries to hide it behind his cup again.

When he doesn't answer, Malfoy continues: "If your goal is to help and protect people perhaps it would be worth considering starting early? I obviously don't have any first-hand knowledge," he winces slightly, "but from what I've gathered you weren't completely incompetent in our fifth year."  
It takes Harry a moment to understand what Malfoy is saying.  
Oh. He's talking about Dumbledore's Army. He's talking about Harry _teaching_.

Malfoy doesn't look at him while Harry thinks about what he just said.  
Starting early. Teaching. Is he implying Harry could be a teacher?  
How would that help any- wait. Alright. He _did_ start the D.A. in the first place so his schoolmates could defend themselves if necessary. He likes to think that this helped them later. So if he actually worked as a teacher, perhaps he could help students again. Prepare them for possible dangerous situations.

His eyes land on Malfoy.  
And perhaps he could support students that might go down the wrong path otherwise. He thinks about the way Slytherins were and probably are still treated. Is it really any wonder, so many of them turned to the Dark Arts? Harry himself had been primed to think badly of them, and he had only learned about magic when he turned eleven!

 _Not Slytherin, not Slytherin._  
Harry still remembers the dread, sitting on the chair in the Great Hall, the Sorting Hat drooping over his eyes.  
How many other students had that exact same thought?  
_Anything but Slytherin._

He sighs, and Malfoy finally looks at him again.

"I like the thought," Harry admits, and Malfoy seems genuinely surprised. "I'm not going to decide anything today of course," he continues, "but thank you. Talking actually really helped I think." He offers Malfoy a small smile and catches how his cheeks turn just a little bit pink before he quickly turns away again. Harry's smile widens a fraction.  
"Your welcome, I suppose," Malfoy says and then turns to look at his watch. Harry sighs when he sees it. Time to go.

He finishes his drink, and they head to the counter together so Harry can pay. "See you tomorrow then," he smiles and Malfoy nods, still avoiding his eyes. It doesn't bother Harry, though. There still is the warmth in his chest, and it stays there even after leaving. Perhaps it wasn't _just_ the drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you guys.  
> I can't say when the next chapter will be out since life is still stressful but I don't think it's going to take this long again.
> 
> Also, the vanilla cinnamon latte is the only 'official' coffee drink I have found to this date that I actually really like!


End file.
